Thieves stealing gifts from Canada Post mailboxes in Cantley, Que.

Christmas gifts have gone missing in Cantley, Que., as police investigate a rash of break-ins at Canada Post community mailboxes.

The MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais and the postal service are looking into 11 recent thefts in which thieves have left parcel slots empty.

"Obviously, it frustrates everybody. This time of year, it's mostly gifts," said Jason Mougeot, who found his mailbox wide open on Christmas Eve and a gift he'd ordered on Amazon for his three-year-old son gone.

"It's sad, but we can't do anything about it."

As an entrepreneur who depends on the mail service to ship and receive packages from clients, Mougeot's also worried about whether —if the break-ins continue — something more valuable could be taken.

It can be a $2 cell phone case or a $1,000 iPad, so it can be lucrative for a suspect.-Acting Sergeant David Frigon, with MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais 

"It could have been one of my customers sending me some parts or something, worth upwards of $5,000, $6,000, that could have been left in that box," he said.

Looking for Amazon, eBay packages, police say

These types of thefts happen every year, said acting Sgt. David Frigon.

"People during the holidays are making online purchases of all kinds. It can be a two-dollar cell phone case or a $1,000 iPad. So it can be lucrative for a suspect [to steal from mailboxes]," he said in a French interview.

He urged anyone who sees a break-in to not confront the person but call police and take down as many details as possible — including a licence plate.

"I know it's frustrating ... but a lot of these kinds of purchases are insured, whether its eBay or Amazon or Canada Post," he added.

In a statement, Canada Post said it takes mail security "very seriously" and was working closely with police.

 The postal service acknowledged 11 community mailboxes have been targeted in the Cantley area. Customers are now receiving notices when their packages arrive and are being told to pick them up from the post office.

They also have people on site repairing the mailboxes.

Anyone who's missing a package must contact the company they bought it from to start a claim, and then get in touch with Canada Post.

Cantley is approximately 20 kilometres north of downtown Ottawa.