3 Montreal Men Were Arrested After Allegedly Prank Calling Police – UPDATED
On Monday, October 12, three Montreal men placed a series of calls to the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) reporting a possible abduction in a car. After further investigation by police, it was deemed that three calls were connected and that there was no kidnapping.
The calls turned out to be a hoax about "mock abductions."
MTL Blog spoke with SPVM spokesperson Veronique Comtois to learn more about what exactly happened on those calls and what happens when people intentionally call the police with false intentions and accusations.
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The three calls to the SPVM were related.
A media representative told MTL Blog that the three calls were placed in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Ville-Saint-Laurent and Ville-Marie at 12:05 p.m., 12:50 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
All three calls seemed to contain the same information and were delivered in the same nature, concerning someone allegedly being held captive in a car and investigators looked into the possibility of a kidnapping.
The three men allegedly involved were arrested and it was later deemed that all three calls were connected and were hoaxes.
No official motive has been given, but the investigation continues.
A prosecutor will decide if the three suspects will be charged.
At the time of writing this article, the suspects have not been charged.
The SPVM representative told MTL Blog that a prosecutor will decide how exactly they will be charged.
Prank calling the SPVM is no laughing matter.
The representative also explained what happens when people falsely call the SPVM.
The charge is based on the act, itself, but more importantly the intent of the action and the impact of the fraudulent call.
In the case of the three calls falsely reporting a kidnapping, bystanders allegedly saw what was happening and were able to give statements.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article did not adequately attribute police allegations. It has been updated.