{
  "id": 11532394,
  "title": "Young people being recruited to commit robberies, crimes: Montreal police",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/young-people-being-recruited-to-commit-robberies-crimes-montreal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T21:17:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12085964/montreal-robberies-involving-youth/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Montreal police have reported a significant increase in thefts at jewelry stores, with many incidents involving minors. In the first nine months of the year, 46 thefts, armed robberies, and break-ins were recorded, compared to just 15 incidents in all of 2022. Commander Iad Hanna of the East Special Investigation Project Group explained that police are observing a pattern of \"youth criminal exploitation,\" where young people are recruited to commit crimes due to their lack of access to financial resources. Criminals are luring young people with the promise of easy wealth, targeting them by enticing them with robberies, arson, and shootings. One such incident occurred on Thursday when a car crashed through the window of jewelry store owner Eddy Safadi, who was assisting an elderly customer. Safadi, who has owned the business for 40 years, expressed shock at the incident, stating that he has never faced such robbery attempts before. Police have not identified any suspects in this case, but Safadi believes the use of a vehicle to break through the exterior made the robbery rare. Safadi called for harsher punishments for those convicted of robbery, emphasizing the need for society to provide young people with alternative pathways to avoid engaging in criminal activities. Commanding Hanna stressed the importance of working with community partners to prevent youth crime, acknowledging the long road ahead but emphasizing the necessity of addressing the issue.",
  "summary": "Montreal police say a rise in thefts at jewelry stores across the city are frequently being committed by minors, sometimes as young as 13.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}