Crow steals knife from Vancouver crime scene leaving police without evidence

Canuck the crow is known for his countless escapades and is recognised by a distinctive red tag on his leg

Canuck's human companion posted a picture of the crow picking up another knife earlier this year (Facebook / Canuck and I)

A crow in Vancouver left police in hot pursuit after it swooped upon a crime scene and picked up key evidence - a shiny knife - from behind police tape.

Canuck the crow, described as Vancouver’s most notorious bird, reportedly perched on top of a burnt-out car that a crime suspect had earlier set alight, and watched as the suspect drew out a knife when the police arrived.

The suspect was shot by police, receiving non fatal wounds, and he was arrested, as reported by the Vancouver Courier.

The crow - which has a distinctive red tag on its leg - reportedly then swooped in and picked up the knife from an area cordoned off by police.

“A cop chased it for about 15 to 20 feet, and then the crow dropped it and took off,” reporter Mike Howell told CBC News.

“It was really strange. In my 20-plus years reporting from crime scenes, I've never seen anything like that crow trying to take a knife.”

Police confirmed the incident, and said the crow had been “persistent”.

It had also reportedly tried to get into a camera operator’s gear as they were trying to film.

Canuck, which has its own Facebook page, has participated in many other exploits, including skateboarding, accompanying commuters on the local train and sitting on the shoulder of a CBC journalist to be “interviewed”.

The one-year-old bird was raised by humans. It likes to hang from the clothing line by its beak, pick up any interesting-looking object in its path and play in water.

Its cocky antics and love for shiny artefacts have made it a massive hit locally, and even internationally.