Criminal Code

Marginal note:Theft from mail

• 356 (1) Everyone commits an offence who

  • (a) steals

    • (i) anything sent by post, after it is deposited at a post office and before it is delivered, or after it is delivered but before it is in the possession of the addressee or of a person who may reasonably be considered to be authorized by the addressee to receive mail,

    • (ii) a bag, sack or other container or covering in which mail is conveyed, whether or not it contains mail, or

    • (iii) a key suited to a lock adopted for use by the Canada Post Corporation;

  • (a.1) with intent to commit an offence under paragraph (a), makes, possesses or uses a copy of a key suited to a lock adopted for use by the Canada Post Corporation, or a key suited to obtaining access to a receptacle or device provided for the receipt of mail;

  • (b) has in their possession anything that they know has been used to commit an offence under paragraph (a) or (a.1) or anything in respect of which they know that such an offence has been committed; or

  • (c) fraudulently redirects, or causes to be redirected, anything sent by post.

• Marginal note:Allegation of value not necessary

  (2) In proceedings for an offence under this section it is not necessary to allege in the indictment or to prove on the trial that anything in respect of which the offence was committed had any value.

• Marginal note:Punishment

  (3) Everyone who commits an offence under subsection (1)

  • (a) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years; or

  • (b) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.