By Ian Holmes

Postal Union Rep calls Warehouse Security “lax”

Jul 8, 2016 | 12:22 PM

Major security concerns are being raised at a Canada Post warehouse serving most of Vancouver Island.

Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 786 President Don Varnadore says there needs to be action following a break-in and theft of mail at the Canada Post warehouse in Nanaimo last month.

The East Wellington Road facility, which houses tens of thousands of pieces of mail for customers on the island north of the Malahat, did not have an alarm in the warehouse to alert police, and no video surveillance was set up at the time.

Varnadore says security at the facility is lax and should be beefed up.

“Security should always be in the upper most in the thoughts of the worker and as well as management. Management does hold the responsibility to make sure that the facilities are secure, and they need to take a little more concern in that area,” said Varnadore.

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Varnadore says there are privacy concerns from staff regarding video cameras, but says a system could be implemented if done properly.

“I think it should be discussed with the union members, and the union members and management come to an agreement and a goal as to how the surveillance would be initiated.”

Nanaimo RCMP have very little information to go on and there is no update on the file from the break-in, which happened between 11:30pm June 10th, and 6:30pm June, 12th.

RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien told us in a June 24th interview that prior to the break-in, the building was locked, but a back door was pried open and entry was gained undetected.

O’Brien said “anybody” could have gotten inside the warehouse during the weekend of the break-in, since a door was found unsecure.

“Oh absolutely…we’re hoping nobody did, but the fact is the door’s unsecured, anybody could have gone in,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said an undisclosed amount of mail was stolen and boxes rumaged through in various locations.

Canada Post refuses to answer our questions about the incident, including explaining if affected customers have been notified, or if security shortfalls at the mail sorting facility have since been dealt with.