Ottawa: In an unusual directive, Canadian police have cautioned citizens against sharing CCTV footage capturing incidents of 'package theft,' citing privacy concerns for the suspected thieves. In a stern warning issued by the police in the province of Quebec, they stated that posting videos of thefts online violates the presumption of innocence in Canada and could be considered a breach of private life.

It is noteworthy that citizens in Western countries often fall victim to package theft, a phenomenon less prevalent in many nations, including India. Unlike in India, where delivery personnel often hand over packages directly to customers, many Western countries have packages left outside homes. This practice makes the parcels susceptible to theft by opportunistic individuals who follow delivery vans and take advantage of unattended packages. On January 13th, CTV News Montreal video journalist Olivia O’Malley reported, “Montreal West is known for its large porches, but around the holidays, those porches are a big target for thieves or ‘porch pirates’”.

While Montreal West councilor Lauren Small-Pennefather acknowledged the daily challenge of dealing with theft, the local police force, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), cautioned residents against posting surveillance footage of package theft. SQ communications officer Lt. Benoit Richard emphasized reporting incidents to the police, stating, “You cannot post the images yourself because you have to remember, in Canada, we have a presumption of innocence and posting that picture could be a violation of private life.”

Following this warning, individuals could potentially face defamation charges for sharing security footage of alleged package theft, as per CTV reports. The Sûreté du Québec referred to articles 35 and 36 of the Civil Code of Québec, emphasizing the right to respect reputation and privacy and the prohibition of invading privacy without consent or legal authorization.

The police's advisory prompted backlash and disbelief among Canadians, with criticisms expressing concern over prioritizing criminals over victims. Journalist Ezra Levant accused the police of favoring criminals, while conservative commentator Chris Tomlinson suggested the warning aimed to downplay the extent of theft. Author and YouTube host Christina Hoff Sommers expressed frustration, stating, "The world has gone mad."

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