Ontario Premier Doug Ford grabbed headlines this week after recounting how he confronted an alleged shoplifter at a Home Depot in Rexdale — but experts say ordinary citizens should think twice before following his example.
Speaking at the Empire Club of Canada on Tuesday, Ford described how he chased after a suspected thief while shopping for plants in July, threatening to “kick [his] ass all over the parking lot” and demanding to see what was in his bag. Store employees had told Ford they couldn’t pursue the suspect, prompting him to act on his own.
While the Premier’s story drew laughs from the audience, legal and safety experts are cautioning that such interventions can be dangerous — and potentially unlawful.
Gail Super, an associate professor at the University of Toronto who studies vigilante violence, said Ford’s actions reflect a common impulse to enforce the law personally. “In this case, Ford thinks that the moral thing to do is chase after the person who is stealing,” she said. “But by doing that, they’re actually breaking a law — about who can make an arrest and what kind of force is permitted.”
Under Canadian law, citizens’ arrests are legal but strictly limited. Before attempting one, individuals must consider their personal safety, have reasonable belief a crime is being committed, and be prepared to hand the suspect over to police immediately. If they proceed, they must clearly state they are making a citizen’s arrest, avoid using force if possible, and refrain from searching or questioning the suspect.
CTV News public safety analyst and former OPP commissioner Chris Lewis said he “might have done the same thing” as Ford but does not recommend it. “I don’t want the public at large to think, ‘Wow, that’s what I’m going to do too.’ You really have to think about it and really assess your ability to help,” he said.
Instead of direct confrontation, Lewis advises witnesses to take note of licence plates, suspect descriptions, and vehicle direction, then relay that information to police. Toronto police echoed that guidance, urging people to keep a safe distance, notify store staff, and call authorities rather than intervening physically.
Home Depot, while not commenting directly on its internal policies, emphasized that the safety of customers and employees is its top priority and praised partnerships with law enforcement to tackle organized retail crime.
Toronto police reported more than 70,000 thefts under $5,000 last year — a category that includes most shoplifting incidents — underscoring the scale of the issue. But experts stress that no matter how tempting it is to step in, personal safety must come first.