When Joan Boisjoli glanced outside his office window in downtown Montreal, he initially thought a car owner was trying to retrieve his keys after locking them inside the vehicle early Wednesday morning.
It only took a few seconds for Boisjoli to realize a man was throwing a mallet repeatedly at a silver SUV in the back alleyway parking lot between de la Montagne and Drummond Streets.
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“I heard some weird noises and when I looked, the guy was actually breaking the backseat window,” he said, adding he looked around to make sure no one was in danger in the parking lot.
Without being able to access the back alley from his office, Boisjoli filmed the brazen theft and knocked on the window to scare off the alleged suspect, who took off by foot with a few items in tow.
“I guess all I wanted was the guy to be arrested,” he said. “But he fled so I don’t know if there are a lot of chances of him being caught.”
Boisjoli then took the video and photos he captured and started making rounds of the office building, hoping to find the owner of the vehicle.
Kassandra Jordan said when Boisjoli showed up to her office, she recognized her boss’ car in the video.
“It was just shocking,” she said. “We park there every day so you don’t expect something like that to happen.”
Report filed with police
The alleged suspect was able to make off with a sleeping bag and a few other items, said Jordan. The break-in also damaged the car door.
With the help of Boisjoli, Jordan and her boss were able to file a police report with the video and photos as evidence.
Montreal police said investigators will review the footage of the break-in.
While Jordan said she recently witnessed break-ins in the same neighbourhood, she said it was the first time it happened in the office’s parking lot.
“Obviously everyone that works in that building is concerned about the safety of their cars,” she said.
“There isn’t much that can be done.”
The incident could have been worse if someone had also been in danger, said Boisjoli. He hopes to see more security to prevent thefts and other criminal acts in downtown alleyways.
“I think it’s dangerous, so I would like to see police officers passing there once or twice a day,” he said.
Tips to prevent car theft
Montreal police say drivers can prevent break-ins by following a few easy steps.
They advise Montrealers not to leave items in plain sight in the car and to put personal items in the trunk.
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Drivers should also park in well-lit areas, lock their car doors and close their windows.
Victims who witness a break-in should call 911 and provide a description of the suspect.