Quebec family visiting New Brunswick loses prized possessions after trailer stolen, car burned

What was planned as a relaxing weekend turned into a disappointing event for a Quebec family visiting New Brunswick.

Steve Balatti and Stéfanie Forcier originally came to Moncton for a friends wedding and decided to take their two daughters camping at Kouchibouguac National Park.

On Sunday the family of four went to Kelly’s beach, parking their 2014 Volkswagen Jetta and vintage Boler trailer in the parking lot.

But it wasn’t there when they returned.

“Nothing was there, not the car, not the trailer. So I was wondering, is there another parking lot near here,” said Balatti. “Nope.”

READ MORE: Outpouring of support for 2 men who lost everything in a trailer fire in Surrey

Losing everything

The thief or thieves broke into the trailer where the family kept a spare key to their Jetta, driving off with the family’s most precious possessions

“We thought about the trailer itself and the memories first, cause we know at this time those were the things that are irreplaceable,” said Stefanie Forcier

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The trailer, a white 1973 Boler, was a labor of love for the couple. The pair had spent a lot of time customizing it

“The body, the door, I mean everything inside is custom built,” said Forcier.

“We spent hours and hours just redoing everything we could in it. Finding the good pieces, ordering things from the U.S.”

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Inside the trailer, the couple’s most prized possession was their daughter’s plush toy, and a log book they kept from their trip through the United States.

READ MORE: Thieves demand ransom for Calgary couple’s stolen trailer

The couple says they’d give almost anything to have those few items back.

“We would give the thieves a lot of money to get those things back, the trailer, the log book and the cuddly toy,” said Forcier.

“For those three things we would be willing to pay thousands of dollars.”

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The local RCMP detachment has opened an investigation into the theft.

On Thursday, RCMP located the stolen Jetta in the Kouchibouguac area. It was completely destroyed.

While the couple realizes that while not all hope is gone, as the hours go by, so do the odds of finding their possessions

“We heard stories of trailers being found 3 months later, so we can always hope, but in our mind its gone,” said Balatti. “If it happens, and we do get it back, its going to be one of the best days of our lives, that would be incredible.”

RCMP say the trailer has the Quebec license plate RG447OH and are asking anyone with information to contact police at (506) 523-461.