- Quebec police Sûreté du Québec has warned residents against posting photos or videos of porch thieves or “pirates” because it could violate their privacy
- Officials have asked locals to hand over the contents to police for investigation
- Canadians have widely criticized the warning on social media
Canadian police have warned residents against posting photos or videos of porch thieves or “pirates” because it could violate their privacy.
The warning was issued by Quebec’s provincial police force, The Sûreté du Québec, and has been widely criticized online by locals.
Lauren Small-Pennefather, a Montreal West councilor responsible for public safety, said packages are regularly stolen outside the home, especially during the holidays.
‘It’s something we deal with every day. “You have people following the vehicles, and if they see a package that has been delivered, they go and pick up the package if no one comes to the door to pick up the package,” she said.
Small-Pennefather also said porch pirates are getting smarter in the ways they commit theft.
Quebec police Sûreté du Québec has warned residents against posting photos or videos of porch thieves or “pirates” because it could violate their privacy
Lauren Small-Pennefather, a Montreal West city councilor responsible for public safety, said packages are regularly stolen outside their homes, especially during the holidays
In a video statementCommunications Officer Lt. Benoit Richard warned that residents should not release and hand over photos and videos that could serve as evidence on their own.
“You can’t post the images yourself because you have to remember that in Canada we have a presumption of innocence and posting that photo could be a violation of privacy.
“If you get evidence that someone has stolen something, call the police and give that evidence to the police.
“We will do the investigation, bring that person to justice and file some charges.” he said.
In a video statement, Communications Officer Lt. Benoit Richard warned that residents should not release and hand over photos and videos that could serve as evidence on their own.
Small-Pennefather recommended requiring a signature on the package for pickup or picking up packages from the carrier at the depot as a method to prevent stolen packages
According to a FedEx survey last year, 28 percent of respondents reported having their packages stolen by porch pirates in the past in 2023
But the warning has generated a huge backlash online.
One user wrote: ‘These are them saying they want to cover up the crime. I wonder if it passes the legal test though. He’s not a lawyer, he’s a cop. I wonder if it’s political.’
While another wrote: ‘They gave up their privacy when they showed off my camera on my porch.’
One user also wrote: ‘Well they committed a crime. They stole a package that didn’t belong to them. There is no way they stole a package that wasn’t theirs. That wasn’t their house, grabbed it and ran.”
Small-Pennefather recommended requiring a signature on the package for pickup or picking up packages from the carrier at the depot as a method to prevent stolen packages.
According to a FedEx survey last year, 28 percent of respondents reported having their packages stolen by porch pirates in the past in 2023.
In 2022, 24 percent of respondents said they had been victims of porch theft, while in 2021 only 20 percent said the same.
The study also found that the number of reported casualties was consistent across the country, ranging from 26 to 30 percent, except in Atlantic Canada.