A career thief gave police a scare during Brian Mulroney’s state funeral a week ago in Montreal when he accidentally stole a backpack containing security keys in the unmarked vehicle of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.
Mokhtar Eldjidel was arrested Tuesday by the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM). He faces charges of theft of less than $5,000, possession of an identity document that does not belong to him, mischief and possession of burglary tools.
The 48-year-old man, with an extensive criminal record, had been actively sought by the authorities since Friday.
Around 3:45 p.m., the criminal allegedly targeted by pure chance an unmarked car parked at the corner of Mansfield and Belmont streets, a stone’s throw from the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel, and belonging to an RCMP police officer.
The federal police provided security on the sidelines of the national funeral of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, which was held over three days in downtown and Old Montreal.
600 meters from the ardent chapel
The theft was committed while the politician was lying in state in Saint Patrick’s Basilica, approximately 600 meters from the targeted car. The city center was then crowded with police.
Eldjidel allegedly smashed a window and grabbed an Arc’teryx backpack. Inside it was a green passport, generally issued to government officials traveling abroad, a police radio, a badge and a card granting privileged access to airports.
According to our sources, national security access and the radio were deactivated as soon as the theft was reported. The passport was reported stolen.
RCMP spokesperson Charles Poirier confirmed the event, without providing further information since the investigation is being conducted by the SPVM.
Targeted gesture
Whatever the case, the theft caused turmoil within the police force, who initially believed it was a targeted action targeting a police officer. An internal search notice was quickly issued with images taken from a nearby security camera. In the screenshots obtained by the QMI Agency, we can clearly see the thief and the stolen backpack. The man is also holding a black briefcase in his hands. It was impossible to know what it contained.
Mokhtar Eldjidel has numerous criminal records, mainly relating to car thefts and misdeeds. His criminal career began almost 20 years ago.
Moreover, when they questioned him this week, the Montreal police were able to link him to another theft that occurred in December.
– With Michaël Nguyen