For nearly 40 years, Rick Arbour and his wife felt safe in their modest Scarborough home just north of Military Trail.
At 75, the retired aircraft inspector thought he’d seen enough of the world to know when to feel on edge. But last month, a stranger changed all of that.
In surveillance videos obtained by CTV News Toronto, a man wearing a hat, shoulder bag and surgical mask can be seen walking along a sidewalk before he slips past Arbour’s wife who at the time was pulling weeds from their front garden.
Arbour says he was sleeping at the time but awoke to the sounds of an intruder, who he soon came face-to-face with at the bottom of his stairs.
“I hollered at him, and he ran,” Arbour recalled, adding that the unknown man successfully got away with his wallet.
The brazen incident happened just before 5 p.m. in broad daylight, in the area of Ellesmere and Neilson Road on June 13. Toronto police tell CTV News that the case remains an “active” investigation and that it will be up to investigators to determine if the case is linked to others in the area.
Police have not said whether the individual depicted in the video has officially been identified as a suspect, telling CTV News that they will “not be commenting on evidence.”
While crime has been lower citywide, across the GTA, other agencies are cracking down on similar incidents, including a major bust in Peel Region this week targeting a group investigators say were behind a rash of home invasions that were “terrorizing” neighbourhoods.
A ‘buttoned up’ response from neighbours
Arbour described his neighbourhood as peaceful and diverse. He says it’s a place where people leave doors unlocked and enjoy casual chats across lawns. But that sense of security quickly faded after the break-in, he says.
Within minutes of calling 911, Arbour says officers arrived and canvassed the area, speaking to neighbours and circling the block in hopes of spotting the suspect.
At the time, Arbour’s own security cameras were pointed away from key entry points. Fortunately, nearby neighbours captured surveillance footage showing an individual walking past Arbour’s wife and entering the home.
Since the incident, Arbour says he’s repositioned his cameras and changed his daily habits.
“Ordinarily we would leave our front door open, a back door open, have a nice breeze blowing through on a warm day. We don’t do that anymore. Everything’s all buttoned up,” he said.
Neighbours, too, have taken notice. Several have told Arbour they’ve started locking their doors in response, he says.
Crime down but daylight thefts a concern
According to Toronto police data, break-ins are down nearly 13 per cent compared to this time last year.
Residential robberies were up in 2024 but are also down so far this year, police say.
Chris Lewis, CTV News’ Public Safety Analyst and former Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner, said opportunistic thieves will target any home if given the chance. While affluent homes or criminal-linked properties are more common targets, ordinary households aren’t exempt, Lewis says.
“Some people will break into anywhere they get an opportunity,” Lewis said, urging homeowners to lock doors — even when working outside.
Lewis added that visible security cameras, locked doors, and hiding valuables from windows remain the best deterrents, though nothing can guarantee protection.
“Big city crime is coming to small town and even rural Canada in ways we never saw decades ago,” he said.
Concern for what’s next
For the Arbours, the emotional toll lingers.
“It’s almost like you’re expecting somebody to show up in your backyard or in your hallway that doesn’t belong there,” he said.
His message to other Toronto families is simple.
“Lock your doors. Make sure that people can’t get in unannounced.”
While the wallet was easily replaced, Arbour says what was stolen from his family can’t be measured.
“It’s the feeling that somebody came into our house unannounced… and that’s what bothers us the most," he said. “We feel targeted.”
We want to hear from you
Have you or someone you know recently become a victim of crime in the GTA and captured it on surveillance?
Were you home when an intruder forced their way inside your home and are still shaken by the incident? Share your story at torontotips@bellmedia.ca
