Quote:
Originally Posted by bomberjet
Is that even legal? Making a citizens arrest I guess, if that is even legal. I'm pretty sure unless you're an officer of the law, you can't hold someone in a cell like that. Even if you catch them red handed stealing something. Or am I wrong on that?
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Property owners, and agents in their employ (private security officers) have expanded powers of arrest over and above what a citizen has.
S. 494 of the Criminal Code lays out the provisions for powers of arrest in Canada. Property owners can make an arrest for any crime on or in relation to their property (e.g. shoplifting). Not just indictable (serious) offences.
Anyone who makes an arrest who is not a peace officer must "...forthwith deliver the person to a peace officer..."
So, holding a shoplifter in a cell until the police arrive is consistent with this requirement. If it takes 3 hours for the police to show up after being called, so be it.
So yeah, Safeway can do this legally.