A Calgary man says he is beyond frustrated after his vehicle was apparently stolen from the secure Park & Jet lot near YYC Calgary International Airport.
According to Don Morton, his 2006 GMC Sierra K 2500 truck was dropped off at the lot at 4 p.m. on Nov. 24. When he returned from his trip on Nov. 29, the truck — which Morton said was parked in row 4 — was gone.
“It wasn’t there,” Morton told Global News.
Morton said he and two of his friends searched the lot but had no success finding his vehicle.
He said his friends were with him when he dropped the truck off and they were all together when he returned to pick it up.
Morton said he also kept the vehicle tag which is given to drivers when they arrive at the lot and identifies which row the vehicle is parked in.
When he called to follow up on the theft, Morton said he was told there was no record of the vehicle entering and exiting the lot.
“I’d like to know when my truck was stolen,” Morton said Wednesday.
“I’d like to know when my truck left and how it left. Because you have to pay to leave — to get the gate to open.
“How did it leave, when the tag you’re supposed to leave on the seat, I had in my wallet, because I didn’t read to see it say leave on the seat?
“I had the tag, so they would’ve had to have another tag to leave with it to get out. And what are they going to do so no one else’s car gets stolen?”
Park & Jet lot advertised as monitored 24/7
Morton said he reported the theft to the Calgary Police Service.
Calgary police confirmed to Global News officers are investigating the vehicle theft but said the process is stalled by a lack of evidence. CPS said investigators checked with impound lots to confirm the vehicle wasn’t towed.
According to the Park & Jet website, the lot is a “secure, fenced, and manned lot” that is staffed 24 hours a day.
On Dec. 3, Morton said he received a call from Park & Jet saying it was double-checking the surveillance video.
Park & Jet owner Naim Ali said the company is “extremely sorry that this happened,” adding they’re communicating regularly with Morton.
In an emailed statement to Global News, Ali said that while Park & Jet can’t speak about details of the ongoing police investigation, it is reviewing its procedures and tightening security at the lot.
“We parked over five million vehicles over 40 years at Calgary Park & Jet,” Ali said.
“Our parking lot services customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is constantly under watch by managers, supervisors, shuttle drivers and maintenance staff who patrol the lot. Our customers and our employees are extremely important to us, and it is our Number 1 goal to protect our people and our customers’ vehicles.”
For Morton, this is the second time he’s gone through this headache, as his same truck was also stolen last year. He said he thought by parking in the secure lot, he was doing what he could to ensure his truck would be there when he got home.
“I couldn’t believe my truck got stolen again,” he said. “It was stolen a year ago but I got it back the next day because the guy drove by my house with my truck that he stole.
“So I couldn’t believe it happened again. I put precautions in place so no one could steal my truck but I forgot to set it at the airport.”