As India celebrated the festival of lights, Diwali, and the West was soaking in the Halloween revelry. Amid the festivities, a woman in Canada was caught on video indulging in the shameful act of stealing candies meant for children on October 31. The woman, alleged to be an Indian, is seen in the video going to multiple houses and stealing sweets and candies. She even cleaned out the lights and bowls at some houses. The incident reportedly happened in the Cornell locality in Markham city, Ontario.
Markham indian women steal candy, light, bowl from houses! at least 4 houses got video of her 😡 #markham #toronto #halloween pic.twitter.com/TF0h64kaQ8
— sUperLIFE.ca (@superlifeca) November 1, 2024
However, Markham city councillor Andrew Keyes issued a statement, saying that the woman “suffers from a mental health disorder. Her family deeply regrets these things happened and is very sorry”. He said that the stolen things would be returned to the families affected. He also urged those affected by the woman’s act to contact him so that he may put them in touch with the woman’s families.
“Also, these events and the social media attention they have generated have caused the family an enormous amount of distress, and it would be very much appreciated if people could please tone down the rhetoric, stop posting and sharing these videos, and if you’re able, please remove any posts you may have distributed,” Keyes further said.
The woman in the video was slammed by Reddit and X users, who called the act “disgusting”. Dismissing Keyes’s statement, one X user said: “I don’t buy it. I have suffered from some debilitating mental health conditions my entire life and I’ve never felt the urge to steal Halloween candy from an entire neighbourhood.” Another user said: “Disgusting. She might have stolen those candies to fill her corner store up.”
This was apparently not the only instance of a Halloween porch pirate. Another video of a woman allegedly stealing candies with her children is also doing the rounds. “This woman took all the candy we left out, right in front of her children. Garbage human being,” the user who posted the video on X wrote.
This woman took all the candy we left out, right in front of her children.
Garbage human being. pic.twitter.com/Os2x3qInxd
— CapEsq (@crev99) October 31, 2024
ABP Live couldn’t independently verify the videos.
What Is Halloween?
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31 each year, originating from ancient Celtic festivals. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter — a time when it was believed that the boundaries between the living and the spirit world became blurred. To ward off wandering spirits, people would light bonfires and wear costumes.
Leaving out candies is a friendly and convenient way to participate in the holiday. Families often leave out bowls of candies for children who come “trick-or-treating”, especially if they’re not home to answer the door. It ensures that trick-or-treaters still get their treats and helps spread the fun spirit of Halloween.