Group poses as children to lure people into committing crimes: N.B. RCMP

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The New Brunswick RCMP is warning the public against vigilantism after receiving reports of incidents in Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe.

According to an RCMP news release, officers have learned of a group of people posing as children to lure would-be suspects into committing criminal acts. Police say they discourage this kind of behaviour, noting it can put people at risk and compromise ongoing investigations.

"We have a number of specialized units and teams who work diligently investigating these types of crimes each and every day," said Cpl. Hans Ouellette of the New Brunswick RCMP in the release. "Our investigators have very robust strategies, including undercover police work, to tackle these complex investigations in accordance with the Criminal Code and case law."

The release says police arrested 17 people in connection to child exploitation-related offences between April 2023 and April 2024.

"Due to the complexities of these investigations, and the expertise required to retrieve digital evidence in compliance with court demands, they often take time in order to ensure the case can be successfully prosecuted." said Ouellette. "We understand that the public is not always aware of the work that we are doing, but we want people to know that we are working diligently everyday to ensure the safety of the children in our province."

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.