British Columbia

Surrey Creep Catchers being investigated by B.C.'s privacy watchdog, office confirms

A complaint sparked an investigation into the controversial vigilante group.

Probe sparked by complaint, commissioner says

Ryan Laforge, president of Surrey Creep Catchers. (Ryan Laforge/Creep Catchers/Facebook)

British Columbia's privacy watchdog has launched a probe into a controversial vigilante group.

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner confirms it is investigating after receiving a complaint about Surrey Creep Catchers.

No details have been released about the nature of the complaint or the investigation.

Creep Catchers is a loose collection of organizations across Canada that claim to expose people they allege are child sexual predators by posing online as minors before meeting in person to film and berate their targets.

An RCMP officer was arrested and charged last September after a group calling themselves Surrey Creep Catchers livestreamed a sting involving a man they allege was planning to meet an underage girl.

Law enforcement officials across Canada have repeatedly expressed concern about the groups, warning the public that confronting alleged child predators could put people in danger and compromise police investigations.