Much more will have to be done to prevent the increase in car thefts at Montreal-Trudeau airport and everywhere else, Quebec and Ottawa agree. A few days before a national summit on the issue, the authorities are calling on all stakeholders to unite to “track down these criminals”.
“To find solutions, we must act on all fronts. This is why we are convening the industry, the police, the Border Services Agency (CBSA) and all stakeholders to the National Summit,” the office of the federal Minister of Transport, Pablo Rodriguez, indicated on Friday, reiterating that “ too many Canadians have paid the high price, financially and emotionally, of having their cars stolen.”
Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) will also participate in this major congress, along with the minister’s office. “We will all work together to prevent car theft across the country,” persisted press secretary Laura Scaffidi.
Earlier, Friday, The Press reported that the parking lots reserved for employees at the Montreal-Trudeau airport, poorly monitored and easy to access, have become a real “playground” for thieves, according to workers. ADM says it has taken several measures to stem the scourge in recent months, but deplores the lack of collaboration from the police.
In October, in a letter sent to the City of Montreal that The Press obtained, ADM management was seriously concerned about “the increase in the number of thefts on the airport site” in several parking lots.
“Our teams have prepared files with photographs of suspects, license plate numbers of vehicles used in the misdeeds and we wish [communiquer] this material to the SPVM to contribute to the investigation which, until now, does not seem to deploy the resources and attention that this issue requires,” wrote two vice-presidents of ADM, Martin Massé and Stéphane Lapierre.
“Track down these criminals”
At the provincial level, the Quebec Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, also believes that the actors involved should do more.
“Car theft is a scourge across Quebec, which has a significant impact on the lives of Quebecers. The police are already on the ground, but it is clear that all partners must do more. I look forward to discussing with them at the summit organized by the federal government so that we can work together to track down these criminals,” the CAQ said in writing.
On average, a car is stolen every six minutes in the country, according to a report published last June. According to auto industry estimates, auto theft rates increased by 50% in Quebec and 48.3% in Ontario in 2022 compared to the previous year.
The port of Montreal has also become a hub for the export of stolen vehicles. The majority of these vehicles end up in Africa and the Middle East. Several stratagems are used to thwart the police authorities. In Montreal, stolen vehicles end up at the port because criminal networks have registered companies that serve as fronts to simulate shipments of goods.
With Joël-Denis Bellavance, The Press