City councillor makes a 'wild' citizen's arrest in Leaside
Author of the article:Joe Warmington
Published Jun 05, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 4 minute read
Councillor Jon Burnside and two other men made a citizen’s arrest at a Home Depot in Leaside on June 5, 2024.
Councillor Jon Burnside and two other men made a citizen’s arrest at a Home Depot in Leaside on June 5, 2024.
Once a cop, always a cop.
This is something two alleged thieves learned the hard way when they crossed paths with Toronto Councillor Jon Burnside on Wednesday at a Home Depot store in Leaside.
If cops don’t respond right away to a 911 call about an alleged shoplifter, just call Burnside. He’ll make the arrest.
A citizen’s arrest — but from a guy who knows how to do it.
“It was wild,” said the Don Valley East (Ward 16) councillor, who was a Toronto cop for 10 years until 2001. “The first thing I heard was the emergency alarms going off. And then I saw these two guys pushing shopping carts loaded up with DeWalt tools were heading out without paying.”
His first reaction was to get his phone out to get some video.
“But then the guy turned to me and said, “I will kill you,” Burnside alleged.
At that point, Burnside realized it was a self-defence situation.
“It was very physical,” he added. “He was very wiry and strong. Punches were thrown.”
But with the help of another customer, Nick Lexovsky and an off-duty firefighter, a suspect was held until police arrived and took him into custody.
“I was in the store shopping and I saw these guys with masks and saw they had six chain saws,” said Lexovsky. “One guy turns around and sees me and starts saying things like, ‘I am going to kill you,’ And then who do I see coming in but Jon.”
Lexovsky said was impressed with Burnside’s quick response and capability.
“He is 100% a hero,” said Lexovsky.
Community organizer Justin Van Dette said Burnside, who “never dropped his serve and protect” oath, should “get the key to the city.”
Toronto Police Const. Sinderela Chung said, according to the allegations, “officers attended The Home Depot in Leaside for a theft in progress at approximately 9 a.m. (Wednesday)” and “customers were holding a suspect who tried to leave the store with unpaid merchandise.
“The customer was taken into custody by police and the investigation is currently on going,” added Chung.
Burnside said it took officers 15 minutes to arrive, and he was sure glad to see them. Now, he’s been on both sides of something like this — as an officer and as a civilian.
The suspect he dealt with “had a smell of alcohol on him,” according to Burnside, who said he was worried that the alleged thief might be armed.
After they subdued the man, they got him a bottle of water. The other suspect took off with what one witness said was a chainsaw, but not most of what was in his cart.
The Home Depot has not yet commented. But I will: Way to go, Jon Burnside!
As a columnist, who has covered crime over three decades in Toronto, I can say there should be no criticism of Burnside or the others. There should be a standing ovation.
He did what everybody would like to do.
If the drug world is going to be in charge of Toronto’s economy to a point where they put stores out of business and make it unsafe go anywhere, and the police, politicians and courts have no answer, then it’s just a matter of time before people organize and start taking care of matters themselves.
They can’t be expected to wait for an overwhelmed police department, with an average call response time of more than 30 minutes. People on the scene may start to make the arrests — without Sunshine List salaries and gold-plated pensions.
Hopefully, it won’t be necessary and doesn’t come to that.
“It does bother me that people are stealing with impunity,” said Burnside, who also called police in 2018 when an alleged drunk driver almost ran him and his campaign team down in Leaside.
Don’t mess with Burnside.
It’s nice to see an alleged bad guy get caught for a change.
That said, the councillor would not recommend that others do what he did.
“I know I did the right thing and I also know it was the stupid thing,” he said. “It could have worked out differently.”
However, he felt it was more of a self-defence situation and once threats were allegedly made towards him, he surmised very quickly his only option was to take the physical route.
It turns out that police training is like riding a bicycle. You never lose the ability.
Maybe it’s time, Chief Myron Demkiw, to recruit Const. Burnside once again. Or give him a key to the city, Mayor Olivia Chow.
Or perhaps a big thank you from The Home Depot?
Councillor Jon Burnside and two other men made a citizen’s arrest at a Home Depot in Leaside on June 5, 2024.
torontosun.com