The car of a family from Ontario was stolen from a hotel parking lot in Montreal

An Ontario family says their SUV was stolen from a Montreal hotel parking lot while the family was down south on March break.
It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation for Trisha Longtin and her family.
"We worked all year to go on this trip and it just fell apart in the last few days," he says.
On March 8, Longtin, his wife and two children drove their one-year-old Toyota Highlander from Ontario to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.
He said they spent the night before their flight at the Sheraton Montreal Airport Hotel and chose to park in its private parking lot near a security camera.
"We parked in their private parking lot that had a security bar, which they called a two-ticket system. So we felt safe," Longtin said.
Halfway through his vacation in the Dominican Republic, Longtin said he started getting notifications on his phone through his car app that the windows were down.
Checking the last known location, Longtin realized that he had been transported only a kilometer and a half away to the industrial area of Durval.
"It was very, very difficult. We were very stressed. We had to make phone calls," he said.
Their SUV was gone, but police found their insurance papers and personal belongings left in the street, he said.
The family's ordeal comes as police forces across the country are dealing with high levels of car theft.
Last month, a major Ontario-Quebec police operation resulted in 34 arrests in connection with vehicle thefts.
The Montreal airport and surrounding hotels have all had their share of cars stolen from their parking lots, said George Inney of the Automobile Preservation Society.
He said: "The hotel staff are well aware of the vulnerability of their land. And they also know what is being stolen.
Inney said the safest bet is to leave your car at home — which isn't always possible.
He added that car manufacturers should take steps.
"Certainly, for cars that are high theft targets, they are not protected enough," he said.
The Sheraton Montreal Airport Hotel said it was "not appropriate" to comment on the case because police are investigating it.
But he sent the following statement:
"Safety and security are of the utmost importance to us, which is why we frequently review our programs and procedures and work closely with authorities on an ongoing basis. Our team is committed to addressing guest concerns directly. "They have been in contact with them, which we are dealing with. Take it very seriously. We understand the distress that such an incident may cause and we sympathize with their situation."


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