Calgary pilot alleges $21,000 gold theft after Costco packages intercepted
Calgary pilot says $21,000 in gold ordered from Costco vanished in transit, prompting a police probe and warnings as bullion thefts surge across Canada.
Roberto Paré, a Calgary-based WestJet pilot, says he lost $21,000 worth of gold after two separate Costco shipments never reached his northwest Calgary home. Paré told investigators the missing items — two one-ounce Lunar New Year gold bars and a 2024 one-ounce Canadian Maple Leaf coin — were ordered in February and tracked as delivered to a pickup point before disappearing. The incident, which Paré reported to Calgary police, underscores a growing problem of gold theft tied to parcel deliveries and in-store pickup points. Investigators and security experts are examining whether the thefts are opportunistic or part of an organised scheme targeting bullion buyers.
How the orders were placed and tracked
Paré’s purchase records show the gold bars were ordered on Feb. 18 and the gold coin on Feb. 27, with the shipments leaving Mississauga, Ontario, in late February. Tracking information indicates an “actual delivery” and a photo of Paré’s front door dated Feb. 25 for the first package, followed by a record that a package was signed for under his name and redirected to a Staples store used as a default pickup point. A second parcel containing the coin arrived at that Staples location on March 2 and was again collected by someone signing Paré’s name, according to his account and store staff.
Surveillance footage and the alleged courier impersonation
Staples employees told Paré the person who collected the parcels did not match his appearance, and the store’s surveillance cameras captured the pickup events. Paré said the person who collected the packages was described to him by staff and that the same individual appears to have retrieved both shipments. He described a scheme where thieves allegedly intercept delivery, affix a tag to a photographed doorstep to create a false proof of delivery, and then retrieve the parcel from the designated pickup point. That sequence, if confirmed, would leave victims unaware until they return home to find their purchase missing.
Police investigation and company responses
Calgary police confirmed receipt of Paré’s complaint and said they are investigating; officials declined to provide further details. FedEx urged customers to contact shippers and local law enforcement when they suspect a shipment is lost or stolen, and a spokesperson encouraged customers to follow the carrier’s claims process. Staples Canada said it is aware of the incidents and that the matter is being actively investigated by police, adding the retailer takes such reports seriously. Paré said Costco did not respond to media requests in his case, and he is awaiting a full resolution from the wholesaler.
Consumer recourse and financial protections
Following his report, Paré said Mastercard provisionally refunded the $21,000 pending an investigation it has opened with Costco, providing temporary financial relief while the matter is resolved. Buyers of high-value goods are advised to track shipments closely and use secure delivery options where possible, such as requiring a signature in person or selecting delivery to a confirmed address rather than a default pickup point. Experts also recommend documenting transactions and communicating promptly with the seller and carrier if tracking records or delivery photos appear inconsistent. Paré told reporters he attempted follow-up orders and monitored different delivery methods to test the system and was refunded for the lost goods while the dispute proceeds.
Security experts link spike to bullion’s rising value
Security advisors and former law-enforcement officials say thefts of gold and jewellery have risen in Canada as bullion prices climb. Scott Hayes of Jewelry Vigilance Canada said the steep increase in gold’s market value over recent years has made it a tempting target for criminals and has coincided with more incidents of robberies and thefts aimed at dealers and private buyers. Criminologist Doug King of Mount Royal University suggested the thefts may feed into organised networks that quickly melt or resell stolen bullion, making recovered traceability difficult. As gold’s value rises, both opportunistic thefts and more systematic operations pose heightened risks to consumers and retailers.
Context of large-scale bullion crimes in Canada
High-profile Canadian heists have highlighted vulnerabilities in the bullion supply chain, including a multimillion-dollar theft from an Air Canada cargo facility at Toronto Pearson that shocked the industry in recent years. That incident involved hundreds of kilograms of gold and led to multiple charges, long criminal investigations and convictions, illustrating how lucrative and complex these theft networks can be. Law enforcement say tackling such crimes requires coordinated efforts among carriers, retailers, financial institutions and police to improve tracking, accountability and prosecution.
Roberto Paré’s case remains under active investigation and reflects broader anxieties among private bullion buyers who rely on courier and pickup services. Paré hopes companies will tighten procedures and that investigators will uncover whether the pickups were isolated fraud or evidence of a more organised theft ring targeting Canadian shoppers.
