Toronto Police torched for suggesting residents leave car keys available for criminals

Toronto Police made headlines last week after they offered safety advice to residents that had many scratching their heads.

According to City News, last month, during an Etobicoke safety meeting, a local police leader told residents that due to a rash of recent vehicle break-ins that they should essentially offer their vehicles up to would-be robbers by leaving vehicle keys at the entrance to their home.

Cst. Marco Ricciardi offered the advice as what he believes to be a way to lessen violent confrontations with thieves as crime spirals out of control.

"To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at the front door because they are breaking into your home to steal your car; they don’t want anything else," the constable said.

"A lot of them that they’re arresting have guns on them and they are not toy guns," he added. "They are real guns. They’re loaded."

As one could imagine, the constable's ridiculous advice sparked massive backlash across social media, as many pointed out that it seems the constable is simply suggesting to everyone to give up completely and let would-be criminals take one's property.

One X user wrote, "This is bizarre, Toronto Police advising the public to leave your fobs near the door. They suggest this because invaders are primarily entering homes to steal your cars. Why not hang your keys outside the door? Or better yet, just leave them in the car."

Toronto Police Constable Marco Ricciardi suggests leaving your car keys by the front door so the armed home invaders don’t hurt you… “They’re breaking into your home to steal your car, they don’t want anything else.”

If criminals are armed, homeowners should be armed as well! pic.twitter.com/hK52r24mZ1

— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) March 15, 2024

Others pointed out how spiking crime issues highlight the importance of gun ownership, which may be the only chance at saving one's family and property against armed criminals.

"Canadian police tell citizens to just let armed criminals steal their cars so the criminals don’t break into their homes. Another reason we will never give up our guns," one X user wrote.

Another X user wrote, "An alternative would be to lock up criminals."

In an update from the original asinine advice from the Toronto Police, the department attempted to clarify what it meant by the advice, and offered additional steps to prevent violent encounters.

"An officer at a recent community meeting suggested that people leave the keys to their vehicle in a faraday bag by the front door,” the release states.

"While well meaning, there are also other ways to prevent auto theft motivated home invasions … Police are concerned about an escalation in violence, where all sorts of weapons and firearms are being used to steal vehicles, and that includes during home invasions," the release continued.