Aaron Lynett / National Post
Anthony Bennett: Convict, alleged thief ... and the Crown's leading witness against shop-owner David Chen.
Crown prosecutors had better come up with some pretty remarkable evidence against David Chen, the Toronto green grocer, when he goes to trial on Wednesday; because if the case is more or less as it appears to be — i.e., small business owner captures habitual thief, then is charged with assault for his efforts — the Crown’s prosecution of Mr. Chen will have done tremendous damage to the credibility of Canada’s justice system.
Mr. Chen performed a citizen’s arrest in May 2009 against Anthony Bennett after Mr. Bennett had stolen a tray of flowers from Mr. Chen’s shop and then returned an hour later. The grocer recognized Mr. Bennett, a well-known petty criminal in the neighbourhood, with a conviction record going back 33 years. Along with two of his employees, Mr. Chen chased Mr. Bennett into an alley outside the store, tackled him, tied him up and held him in the back of a delivery van until police arrived. For this, police charged Mr. Chen with assault, kidnapping and forcible confinement.
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