They were Claus for a cause.
A group of masked thieves dressed as Santa Claus and his elves was caught on camera storming a Canadian grocery store and stealing carts of food, according to a report.
Several “masked and disguised individuals” entered a Metro grocery store in Montreal and began snatching items off shelves around 9:15 p.m. on Monday, a Montreal police spokesperson told CBC.
On social media, a Robin Hood-style activist group called Robins des ruelles — or Robins of the Alleys — claimed responsibility for the seemingly festive heist, the outlet reported.
The stolen food, worth roughly $3,000, was redistributed under a Christmas tree in a Montreal neighborhood. Leftovers were also placed in various community fridges, according to the publication.
The group described the shoplifting spree as a “great food drive,” justifying its actions by claiming supermarket chains have been using inflation as an excuse to raise prices despite raking in record profits.
“A handful of corporations are holding our basic needs hostage. They continue to exploit the population, siphoning off as much money as possible, simply because they can. For us, that’s what constitutes theft, and they are the real bandits,” the group wrote in a statementon an Instagram page, Les soulèvements du fleuve.
Although the online reaction to the theft has been mostly positive, Geneviève Grégoire, a spokesperson for Metro, told CBC that it was important to remember that theft — no matter the motive — is considered a criminal act.
Grégoire added that the company has engaged in several philanthropic efforts in 2025, including donating $1.15 million to food banks and millions of dollars’ worth of food donations elsewhere.
Police are currently reviewing footage of the incident. No arrests have been made.
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