Groceries Worth Millions Stolen from Major Supermarket
"We Will Share with the Vulnerable"... Store Responds: "It's Still a Crime"
Thieves dressed as Santa Claus, wearing red outfits and white beards, stole groceries worth several million won from a large supermarket in Canada and fled the scene. The group described themselves as "modern-day Robin Hoods" and claimed they would distribute the stolen groceries to vulnerable groups.
On December 19 (local time), British daily The Guardian and other media outlets reported that an organization called "The Robin Hoods of the Streets" committed the theft at a large supermarket in Montreal.
On December 18, the group issued a statement titled "When Hunger Justifies the Means," explaining that their actions were intended to highlight the deepening cost-of-living crisis caused by the excessive profits of large retail corporations and soaring prices. They stated that some of the stolen groceries were placed under a Christmas tree in a public square in Montreal for anyone to take, while the rest would be distributed to low-income and vulnerable groups through local food banks.
Thieves dressed as Santa Claus stole groceries from a large Canadian supermarket and fled. Photo captured from social media (SNS).
In their statement, the group criticized, "Citizens are working harder and harder to buy food from large supermarket chains that are making record profits under the pretext of inflation," and added, "Corporations are pressuring citizens in pursuit of maximum profit."
In response, Metro, the major food distribution company that owns the supermarket, strongly objected. Metro, which operates eight major food brands in Ontario and Quebec, stated, "Theft is a criminal act that cannot be justified for any reason." The company also added, "The recent rise in grocery prices is the result of a combination of factors, including global supply chain disruptions, fluctuations in raw material prices, changes in the international trade environment, and an increase in retail crime."
Local police are currently investigating the theft, but as of now, no arrests have been made.
A scene from the movie "Noel's Gift," featuring a thief dressed as Santa Claus as the main character. IMdb capture
Thieves dressed as Santa Claus have appeared consistently as Christmas approaches in previous years as well. Last year in Brazil, thieves in Santa Claus costumes broke into an electronics store ahead of Christmas. At that time, two individuals dressed as Santa Claus broke the door and windows of an electronics store in Claudio, Brazil, in the early morning, and made off with 33 mobile phones, video game consoles, speakers, and various other electronic devices.
In 2015 in the United Kingdom, a robber dressed as Santa Claus broke into a fast-food restaurant. Five days before Christmas, a man in a Santa outfit entered a drive-thru KFC in Alfreton, Derbyshire, threatened an employee with a weapon, and fled with cash. Derbyshire police released CCTV footage at the time, describing it as a "very serious armed robbery" and launched a public manhunt.
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