A new call back centre in the RCMP K Division is reminding people to keep an eye on their mailboxes.

The centre has received several calls in relation to rural mailboxes being the target of thieves.

Corporal Laurel Scott says people need to keep a close watch on their mail.

"The RCMP just wants to remind everybody that whether you have a mailbox at your house or a superbox to check it as often as you can," said Scott. "Ideally check it daily. That way you can stay on top of if you are missing any mail."

Criminals who steal mail are targeting pre-paid credit cards, gift cards, cheques and documents that will make it easy for them to access your banking and other personal information. This time of year, thieves are especially targeting the pre-paid credit cards used by tax companies to deliver tax refunds to their clients, or refunds otherwise directed distributed.

RCMP urge citizens in the province to take steps every day to protect themselves from mailbox theft, and ultimately, identity theft:

Check your mailbox daily and remove the accumulated mail.

If you are expecting a parcel, consider having that parcel sent either registered mail, or to a business address where someone can accept the delivery.

Consider picking up your on-line purchases at the stores you ordered from.

If your mailbox has been broken into, or tampered with, call your local RCMP Detachment and report the situation to Canada Post.

If you believe that mail has been stolen from your mailbox: contact the business or agency who you were expecting mail from including utility companies, banking organizations and credit card companies.  This type of mail contains information that may lead to identity theft.

If you observe suspicious activity in progress at a mailbox, call your local RCMP Detachment.  If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or report it online at www.tipsubmit.com. If your information leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward up to $2,000.