The Big Story

The speed camera chopper gets away with 16 Toronto takedowns...were they justified?

Sep 12, 2025
Jacqueline Helfgott, a criminology and forensics professor at Seattle University, dives into the controversial vandalism of speed cameras in Toronto. The discussion examines the motivations behind this Robin Hood-style rebellion against surveillance, highlighting societal reactions and the blurred lines between vandalism and vigilantism. Helfgott explores how social media fuels admiration for such acts, the potential for copycat crimes, and the ethical implications of automated surveillance on public safety and freedom.
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INSIGHT

Media Drives Copycat Vandalism

  • Media coverage of vandalism can produce a copycat effect by showing others how to mimic the act.
  • Jacqueline Helfgott says visible images and news attention validate and spread the behavior.
ANECDOTE

Online Praise Cast Vandals As Heroes

  • Social media praised the perpetrators as superheroes, Robin Hood figures and local legends.
  • Helfgott found the digital validation striking and widespread in her review of the online response.
INSIGHT

Digital Culture Blurs Reality And Crime

  • Digital culture blurs fantasy and reality, increasing imitation of observed behavior.
  • Helfgott argues this 'digital realm of the unreal' amplifies social learning and desire for celebrity.
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