Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Christopher Drummond says he’s still in shock after his car was stolen at a hotel parking lot in Quebec, forcing him and his family to return to P.E.I. in a rental vehicle.
Drummond said the family of five was in Laval, Que., so they could watch his son’s baseball team play at a national championship.
He had just bought a bigger SUV a few months before so they would have some more room for the trip. But he never thought the 2019 Honda Pilot would be stolen right from the lot of the city’s Sheraton Hotel.
“[I] just couldn’t believe that would be something that would happen to us,” Drummond said.
The family was in Laval so they could watch his son’s baseball team play at a national championship. (Submitted by Christopher Drummond)
The incident happened just days after they arrived in Laval, Drummond said. He said he parked it in the afternoon, and it was gone about an hour and a half later.
Drummond said he had locked the vehicle, and had the keys.
“Ours was stolen in broad daylight, in front of a busy hotel parking lot…. It was just gone in a flash.”
Thieves looking for certain cars
Bryan Gast is a former police officer who now works with insurance companies to investigate all types of insurance crime.
He said organized crime groups are specifically looking for luxury sedans, SUVs and pickup trucks because there’s a big market for them.
The car stolen was a 2019 black Honda Pilot the Drummond family had just bought in May. (Submitted by Christopher Drummond)
It only takes a few seconds for thieves to steal a car, he said.
“They have the technology to steal these vehicles…. It happens very, very quickly,” said Gast, who’s vice-president of investigative services at Équité Association.
Gast said thieves are able to reprogram vehicles computers, and sometimes use their own key fobs to take them.
Vehicles with starter buttons can be more vulnerable to theft, he said.
Cars regularly stolen
More than a billion dollars worth of vehicles are stolen every year, Gast said, adding that many get exported overseas via container ships.
“It’s got to the crisis point,” he said.
Drummond said the family had parked the SUV for about an hour and a half at the hotel when it was stolen. (Submitted by Christopher Drummond)
Drummond said police told him it was a “common occurrence” and that they weren’t optimistic the vehicle would be found.
Laval police were not available for an interview, but a spokesperson did say car thefts were indeed a problem in the city.
786 car thefts were reported there during the first six months of the year, the spokesperson said.
A photo with a circle showing where the SUV was stolen from. (Submitted by Christopher Drummond)
Laval police have previously told CBC News hotels can be targeted by thieves, and that more are using technology to quickly steal vehicles.
The spokesperson said people need to protect themselves with devices that prevent cars from getting hacked and other sorts of anti-theft tools, like steering wheel locks. They also recommend installing tracking and alarm systems.
“Obviously, if there is a vehicle equipped with different things, hopefully [thieves] just pass your vehicle by,” Gast said.
Hotel working with authorities
Morgan Léon, executive assistant at the Sheraton in Laval, said in an email that “as many public places in the world, Quebec included, car thefts are happening, but not more in hotels than in streets or private residences.”
Though she did not have any specific comments on the incident, Léon said the hotel is working closely with authorities on the matter.
Christopher Drummond with his son, Dylan. Drummond said he wants people to be aware how quickly car thefts can happen. (Submitted by Christopher Drummond)
Almost 20 families from P.E.I were also staying at the hotel to take part in the baseball championships, Drummond said, adding that some were nervous afterwards and did buy anti-theft devices.
He said he has insurance and that it covered the rental car, but that he’s still waiting to find out what else it covers.
“Luckily no one else was a victim of auto theft in our group,” Drummond said.
“I just hope that people realize that they can be a victim to this crime.”
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