A group of rebel Santas and elves have stolen groceries from a supermarket in Canada to feed people in need.
Thieves disguised in red Father Christmas outfits and elf costumes were filmed marching into a grocery shop chain called Metro in Montreal and nicked baskets full of food.
The unusual operation was carried out on Monday evening by activists who call themselves Robins of the Alleys.
A video of the heist, set to the Christmas song Jingle Bells, was posted on Instagram by Soulèvements du Fleuve.
The post, translated from French, said: ‘A handful of businesses are holding our vital needs hostage.
‘They continue to suffocate the population, to siphon (from) them as much money as possible, simply because they can. For us, this is theft and they are the thieves.’
According to the page, the food stolen form the supermarket was left under a Christmas tree in the public square Place Valois in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and other goods were taken to community fridges.
CNN reported that the police would not comment on the group’s motive but they are investigating the incident by looking at CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses.
The grocery shop, Metro, told CNN that stealing is ‘unacceptable’ and the supermarket was not solely responsible for the rising price of food.
Spokesperson Geneviève Grégoire said: ‘Many factors influence food inflation, including disruptions in the global supply chain, volatility in commodity prices, changes in international trade conditions, and retail crime.
‘The prices on store shelves directly reflect the costs of the supply chain.’
Food prices in Canadian supermarkets grew by an average of 4.7 per cent in November compared to the previous year. Food Banks Canada estimates that nearly one in four people in the country skip meals due to poverty.
Robin Hood-style groups have also tried similar tactics in the UK.
Last year, activists from Everybody Eats claimed they stole food from a Marks & Spencer in Manchester and gave it to food banks to protest against the cost of living crisis.
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