By Tim Binnall
In an audacious stunt aimed at sounding the alarm about the cost of living and helping others this holiday season, a sizeable gang of individuals dressed as Santa and his elves robbed a Montreal grocery and shared their spoils with those in need. According to a local media report, the Robin Hood-style heist occurred on Monday evening at a branch of the supermarket chain Metro. To the surprise of staff and customers, a trio of Santa Clauses and over three dozen compatriots dressed as elves suddenly swarmed the shop. The gang swept through the store, filling their bags with around $3,000 worth of groceries before quickly vanishing into the night.
The individuals responsible for the peculiar caper later revealed themselves as the group Robins des ruelles, or Robins of the Alleys. The activist organization explained that they orchestrated the heist as a protest against the rising cost of living in the city. To that end, they indicated that the pilfered food had been deposited around a Christmas tree in a public park so that those in need could have something to eat this holiday season. While authorities and the grocery store chain understandably decried the group's actions and promised to investigate the caper, some have lauded the activists for their altruism and the clever manner in which they pulled off the whimsical heist.