Advertisement

Montreal porch pirates active this holiday season

Montrealers say packages are being taken from their porches this holiday season. Matthew Warsh

With the holidays fast approaching, police are warning Montrealers to be on the lookout for package thieves.

Multiple West Islanders have told Global News they’ve recently had parcels stolen right off their doorsteps.

Matthew Warsh said he found security footage of someone picking up an Amazon package from his porch in Dollard-des-Ormeaux on Monday.

Click to play video: 'Doorbell camera captures parcel being swiped from Edmonton woman’s front porch'
Doorbell camera captures parcel being swiped from Edmonton woman’s front porch

“I found the footage of a lovely porch pirate just grabbing the box and putting it into a waiting car,” he told Global News.

Story continues below advertisement

Warsh said the parcel contained nothing of great value, just some diapers and other supplies, but watching the footage really upset him.

“It’s not so much the items being missed, but somebody trespassing on my property, arbitrarily taking those items. Obviously, they were prepared for what they were doing. It’s a feeling of violation. It makes you feel a little bit less safe.”

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

READ MORE: 300 jobs coming to Lachine with new packing, shipping warehouse: Amazon Canada

A few kilometres away in Dorval, Mara Welch caught a video of someone taking a package full of Christmas gifts from her doorstep and fleeing on a bicycle, also on Monday.

“I just felt violated, really, really frustrated. You have faith in people,” she told Global News.

Montreal police spokesman Jean-Pierre Brabant said the department does not have statistics on porch theft, but that Warsh and Welch are not the only ones having this experience during the holiday season.

“It’s like that in all areas where packages are getting delivered on the entire island. It’s not just on the West Island,” Brabant said.

Welch took to social media and found that other people had spotted someone on a bike holding packages.

“One of our neighbours posted on social media that he’d seen the same woman,” she said.

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: West Island Assistance Fund meets emergency toy drive goal after massive fire

These days, couriers delivering items from Amazon and other websites often leave them right out in the open.

Brabant offers a few suggestions.

“If you’re not home, please ask a neighbour or someone you know that can pick up the package for you,” he said.

Warsh said he intends to do so.

Click to play video: 'East Vancouver security cam captures an unexpected ‘porch pirate’'
East Vancouver security cam captures an unexpected ‘porch pirate’

“I’ve spoken to my neighbours, they promised to bring packages in and we’ll do the same for them. Maybe we’ll add a couple more cameras too,” he said.

Story continues below advertisement

Brabant also suggested having packages delivered to your office.

Amazon told Global News the vast majority of deliveries happen without incident, and said that you can choose to have your package sent to a post office. They said their customer service department is open 24/7 and will always try to make things right.

Sponsored content

AdChoices