Prevention and resources

Practical advice for Greater Montreal, and the right numbers so you never have to wonder who to call.

Emergency or not?

• 911: a crime in progress, someone in danger, a suspect still at the scene, a crash with injuries.
• Your police's non-emergency line (see below): a theft that's already over, a car found stolen in the morning, vandalism.
• Online report: for simple thefts and mischief, with no violence or forced entry. Offered by the SPVM in Montreal and by Laval police (mischief or theft under $5,000). These reports mostly serve insurers and statistics; they don't always lead to an investigation.
• Your city's 311: streetlight out, pothole, graffiti, signage.
• Vigie Quartier: to warn your neighbours, in addition to the police, never instead of them.

Who to call

At home

• Lock doors and windows, even when you're out briefly. Break-ins often happen through a back door, a basement window or a patio door.
• Put motion-sensor lights at the front and back, and trim hedges that hide entrances.
• Shed and garage: strong padlock, hinges screwed from the inside, garage door always closed. Don't leave the garage remote in a car parked outside.
• On vacation: a neighbour picks up mail and packages, timers turn lights on, and nothing on social media until you're back.
• Photograph your valuables and note their serial numbers: police and insurers need them.
• A camera should film your property, not the street or the neighbours. Keep the footage for the police.

Cars

• RAV4, Highlander, CR-V and Lexus RX are among the most stolen vehicles in Quebec.
• Keep your smart key away from the front door or in a signal-blocking pouch: thieves pick up its signal from outside to start the car.
• A visible steering-wheel lock deters thieves, and a hidden tracker helps find the car.
• Park in the garage or a well-lit spot, and leave nothing visible inside.
• Car stolen: call police right away (911 if it just happened) with the vehicle identification number (VIN), then your insurer.

Bikes

• A U-lock around the frame and a fixed rack. A cable can be cut in seconds.
• Thefts also happen in garages, storage cages and on balconies: lock the bike even indoors.
• Note the serial number (under the bottom bracket), photograph the bike and register it on 529 Garage, the registry the SPVM uses.
• Bike stolen: report it to police with the serial number and watch Marketplace and stolen-bike groups.

Packages

• Ship to your workplace, a neighbour who's home, or a locker or pickup point.
• Require a signature for valuable items and track deliveries so you can pick them up fast.
• Package stolen: tell the seller and the carrier first, since they often refund, then the police if needed.

Phone, text and online scams

• Fake police officer or bank agent: the call can show the real SPVM or bank number. No police force or bank will ever ask for your PIN, cash, to hand your card to a courier, or to keep the call secret. Hang up and call the number on the back of your card.
• "Grandparent" scam: "your grandson had an accident, we need bail money". Check with another family member. Never hand cash to someone who comes to pick it up.
• Fake rentals: never pay a deposit before visiting the apartment. Be wary of rent that's too low or a landlord who is "abroad".
• Marketplace: meet in a busy public place, never send a deposit, and watch out for fake Interac e-Transfer emails.
• Texts about deliveries, Hydro-Québec, the Canada Revenue Agency or tolls: don't click. Go straight to the official website.
• Crypto investments pitched on social media or by a new online acquaintance: almost always fraud.
• Scammed? Call your bank first to block payments, then the police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Door-to-door scams

• Hydro-Québec never sells or solicits door to door.
• Don't let anyone in without an appointment, even with a uniform or badge, and don't sign anything on the spot.
• A door-to-door seller must hold a permit from the Office de la protection du consommateur, which you can check on its website.
• A contract signed at home can be cancelled free of charge within 10 days of receiving your copy.

If you're a victim

• Your safety first: if the suspect is still there, get away and call 911.
• If you can, don't touch anything before police arrive.
• Write down the event number police give you: your insurer will ask for it.
• CAVACs (crime victims assistance centres) offer free, confidential help.
• Have video or a photo of a suspect? Give it to police or Info-Crime, not social media: a post can target the wrong person and hurt the investigation.
• Report the incident on Vigie Quartier to warn your neighbours, describing the facts, never a person.