Santa and his elves caught stealing over £2K price of grocery in ‘Robin Hood’ fashion stunt
A gang of Santas and masked elves sparked festive chaos after being caught on camera stuffing trolleys with food and dashing out of a supermarket without paying
Santa’s helpers were up to more than just wrapping presents, as a merry band of Santas and masked elves staged a cheeky Christmas heist at a grocery store. Footage captured the moment jolly thieves loaded up their trolleys before dashing out without paying.
While the police have been investigating the case, some observers were left debating whether these festive food bandits were actually delivering a Christmas miracle or simply stirring up holiday mischief.
Santa’s naughty list just got longer in Montreal, Canada, after a gang of Santas and masked elves were caught on camera stuffing their trolleys with festive food before stealing it from a supermarket without paying a penny.
The theft unfolded last week (December 15) at a large grocery store in Montreal’s trendy Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
Montreal police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils reportedly confirmed they are investigating a “shoplifting incident at a large retail store”, involving several “masked and disguised individuals who would have left with food and without paying”.
An activist group calling themselves Robins des ruelles (or Robins of the Alleys), in a nod to Robin Hood, quickly claimed responsibility online, boasting that the £2,400 haul was handed out under a Christmas tree in a public space in the city, with leftovers going to community fridges for those in need.
The group described their festive raid as a “great food drive” and a political statement, CBC reported.
In a statement posted to social media, the group justified their actions, saying: “A handful of corporations are holding our basic needs hostage. They continue to stifle the population, siphoning off as much money as possible, simply because they can.
“For us, that’s theft, and they are the real criminals.” The daring act has divided opinion across locals, with many on social media hailing the Santas as heroes for the hungry, while others condemn the act as criminal.
Geneviève Grégoire, spokesperson for supermarket chain Metro, insisted: “Theft, for any reason, is unacceptable and constitutes a criminal act.”
However, Marc-André Cyr, a political science lecturer at Université du Québec à Montréal, pointed to a “discrepancy” between official outrage and public support, noting, “This type of action works in the sense that it creates debate,” and adding, “There are people this week who ate much better than last week.”
Montreal police say they are still reviewing video footage of the incident, but so far, no arrests have been made, as per CBC.
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