Port of Montreal mystery on car thefts: Stop taking us for fools

Are you sitting well?

· read more: Ottawa to ban free sale of gadgets used in car thefts

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In four years in Canada, the number of car thefts increased by 299%. In Quebec, we are talking about a 50% increase by 2022. Today, every five minutes, a vehicle is stolen in the country.

This security issue has become political. So the Trudeau government chose to organize a national summit on auto theft. A beginning of something.

port

However, for months, I have been hearing and reading these horror stories about these planes. And I heard what politicians, police, port officials and others had to say during yesterday's summit.

One thing we notice: all these stories always converge at a certain point.

Port of Montreal.

And no one has a clear explanation. That's what makes it attractive.

Why is the Port of Montreal a port of call and a hub for planes? The mystery of life.

Why is Africa and the Middle East a prime destination for sending cars? Another mystery.

Why is a stolen car in Alberta picked up at the Port of Montreal when the rules in Vancouver, Halifax or elsewhere are the same everywhere? Another mystery.

As we know, the port is already infiltrated by criminal gangs. In 2011, it was described as a hotspot for organized crime. In 2020, there was talk of corrupt “quiet cells” in the ports of Montreal and New York.

When asked about the thefts, no one at the port identified a problem. We were told: Yes, but we have security arms, security, and anyone who wants can't enter.

We must stop taking ourselves for fools. Something is wrong with the Port of Montreal and if car thefts have exploded, it's because it's so easy to get them out of the country. The problem is first.

Feeling insecure

It would be wrong to ignore the effects of this type of scourge.

The effects of this are felt in our insurance costs. We pay for the enrichment of criminal networks.

And we emphasize the sense of insecurity. This is not just an administrative problem. These small and large problems – and increasingly violent – weigh on our lives.