Observers have said that the Canadian trial of a merchant who tied up a suspected neighborhood thief could bring a change to the country's citizen arrests law.

Toronto's National Post reported on Monday that David Chen, a merchant in Toronto's Chinatown, and two of his shop assistants are facing charges of assault and forcible confinement.

The newspaper further said that the case has ignited debate pitting the rights of store owners to protect their property against fears that enhanced citizen arrest powers could lead to incidents of vigilantism.

Chen's lawyer argues existing citizen arrest powers requiring someone to be caught in the act of a crime are too narrow.

The newspaper has said that a bill was introduced last week in Canada's Parliament that would provide shopkeepers with police-like powers to arrest suspected thieves regardless of when an alleged crime took place.

Police and civil liberties groups both say they are against expanding citizen arrest powers, warning of possible incidents of violence.

David Eby, executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, said, "It could mean street fights."

Calgary Police Service spokesman Kevin Brookwell agreed.

He said, "It's healthy to have dialogue" about the issue, but he expressed reservation about citizen's arrest powers beyond what is currently permitted.

Brookwell further said, "You might have people believing something happened. Potentially, you could have a whole new set of problems. Let us effect the arrest and you become the star witness." (With Inputs from Agencies)