An 80-year-old mayor in Quebec, Canada, has been charged with theft after allegedly shoplifting bottles of Bacardi on five separate occasions. John Dalzell, the mayor of Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs, faces five counts of theft under $5,000.
According to court documents cited by CTV News, the alleged thefts occurred at a Societe des alcools du Quebec (SAQ) store on October 28 and November 11 and 29 of last year, and on February 3 of this year. Each charge states that Dalzell "stole from the SAQ a bottle of Bacardi."
Dalzell has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court on January 22. He previously served as Montreal's deputy police chief, retiring in 1995. He later worked for the police service of Canadian National before being elected mayor of Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs unopposed in 2025.
Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs is a municipality of approximately 4,000 residents in Quebec's Laurentides region. Dalzell also holds a position on the Pays-d'en-Haut MRC Council, whose spokesperson Martin Bujold stated the council is aware of the charges and takes the situation seriously.