Pictures of gift thieves by citizens

^{Luke Lefebvre / Facebook}

A parcel thief was caught red-handed in Montreal on December 2.

Authorities are warning consumers about parcel thieves, who are likely to become more severe as Christmas approaches, especially given the popularity of e-commerce.

“I had ordered clothes for my three children from a French vacation company. I never saw my package that was due to arrive on December 4. They left $500 worth of clothes that I still had to pay for,” exclaimed Marie Marcello.

“But it’s over, we put the cameras on last week,” adds the mother, who lives in the Limoelo sector in Quebec.

More and more Quebecers are doing like Mrs. Marcelo and installing cameras to catch petty criminals in this act. Many of them posted pictures on social media to denounce them.

^{Sylvain Berard / Facebook}

Sylvain Berard, a resident of the Ville-Emard district of Montreal, “decided to avenge himself on this thief grandmother by spreading his crime on social networks.” The lady never came home to run away with her expulsion in September 2021.

Newspaper About fifty clips picked up by citizens have been found everywhere, showing individuals stealing packages from balconies in recent weeks.

“I handed over at least three videos of burglars in my house to the Montreal police, but they asked me to call the carrier first of all. A police officer never called me to tell me they had found them,” says Philip Gaet, a resident of Montreal’s Saint-Henri district. “.

^{Maxim Hoot / Facebook}

Maxime Haute, a Quebec resident, filed a complaint last September with the police after photographing this petite thief.

If this type of theft occurs throughout the year, criminals have more chances during the holiday season with many gifts required for Christmas.

“It’s very easy and very profitable for thieves,” said retired police officer Paul Laurier. New items are selling very well on sites like Marketplace [Facebook] or kijiji. “

He notes that some dare to walk the streets with baskets to collect their spoils.

^{Ryan Belanger / Facebook}

A thief was caught stealing a parcel from a mailbox in Drummondville on December 8.

Although the phenomenon is growing, few police officers record parcel theft, as it is classified under the “theft under $5,000” category.

Furthermore, of the ten services contacted in the county, only Laval Police (SPL) was able to provide data. And these numbers reveal: The number of parcel theft complaints to the SPL more than doubled during the pandemic, from 109 in 2019 to 235 in 2021 (as of December 1).

^{Simon Olivier Fictoux / Facebook}

“This is a video of my Amazon package being delivered and then stolen 30 minutes later while I was at work. I am posting because it should do this to a lot of people. Note: I’ve never seen a thief look so much like a thief,” Simon Olivier wrote on his Facebook page Fecteau, who lives in Montreal.

He states in the Montreal Police Department that the phenomenon is “known and taken seriously”, without being able to determine its extent.

At Longueuil Police, it is hoped that the new recording of citizens’ online surveillance cameras will help identify the problem.

“This should allow us to know where the cameras are on our territory and thus help us obtain video images of suspects of various crimes, including parcel theft,” said Sgt. Francis Sharett.

With the increase in deliveries during the festive season, various police forces have called Newspaper We shared some tips on how to keep gifts from disappearing (see below).

For their part, carriers are keen to keep quiet about the number of packages stolen in Quebec in recent years. Newspaper Canada Post and Amazon unsuccessfully questioned this topic.

However, according to a recent FedEx survey, at least one in 10 Canadians says they fell victim to parcel theft in 2021.

The company acknowledges that “the high volume of shipments for the holiday season can increase the odds of flights.”

With Axel Marchand Lamotte

Suggestions for customers who buy online

Follow their package path.

Delivered to another address in case of absence at home.

Require signature from carrier.

Install a box with a lock outside the house.