This brown community mailbox located near the intersection of Ross Glen Drive and Turner Drive and several others like it were targeted by theft in April.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
news@medicinehatnews.com
Cassandra Chenoweth, 41, who was previously charged with several mail theft-related offences in April, is now facing upgraded charges after police recovered thousands of opened and unopened mail items including letters and parcels after executing a search warrant.
On March 30 the News reported police had strong leads on a suspect stealing mail from older style community mailboxes that have a grey exterior in the communities of South Ridge and Ross Glen.
Chenoweth was taken into custody April 10 after police received a report of a thief in progress from a community mailbox and was found to have hundreds of items of mail in her possession as well as break-in tools.
On Sept. 5 police upgraded Chenoweth’s charges after a “lengthy and complex investigation” linked the woman to 30 mailbox thefts in the city and surrounding areas after the Criminal Investigation Section executed a search warrant at a local residence and two storage lockers that led to the recovery of the mail.
Chenoweth now faces several charges including possession of property over $5,000, mischief damage under $5,000, possession of break-in instruments, possession of Canada Post keys, possession of stolen credit cards, possession of identity information, possession of a forged document, possession of credit card data and making or possessing identity documents.
Chenoweth has also been charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Police say all the recovered mail and packages will be returned to their intended recipients once they are no longer needed for investigational purposes, and they continue to work with Canada Post.
Chenoweth has appeared in Provincial Court and is scheduled to return on Sept. 17.
