I have received much feedback from people about the posting of the monthly reports. Most of it was positive, but of course we always have the people who need to quench their negative thirst with the name calling. Whatever. The monthly reports were not meant to be negative. They are facts. Crimes happen. We are human and we live in a less than perfect world. Cheshire in its worst day is paradise island compared to where I came from. Believe me.
The following article from the Montreal Gazette was sent to me by a reader from the Cheshire-Southington area who experienced this first hand this past weekend when they attended the Girls Fastpitch Softball Tournament. It is amazing to note that some of the victims reported it took six or seven hours for the Montreal Police Department to respond to calls of the cars being stolen.
Even though our town is small, I know for a fact the Cheshire Police Department would respond in a flash and investigate and solve the problem. It just makes you wonder. More astonishing is that apparently last year over 13,000 vehicles were reported stolen in Montreal. And this is allowed to continue!! I know the person who sent me this information said they would not return to Montreal which is tragic.
As you know, I visit Montreal quite often. It seems the car thefts are occuring in upper districts of Montreal. Downtown Montreal proper does not seem to have this problem, but then again many people in Montreal do not have cars. Montreal does not have that much people on people, or violent crime. They had approximately 30 murders last year in a city well over 3 million people. Their problem is property crime. Hopefully, someone will wake up up there and solve this, because Montreal is such a cool city. Here is the story.
Montreal police asked to do more against car theft
MONTREAL – Montreal police aren’t doing enough to prevent thefts of expensive SUVs owned by American tourists, the organizer of an annual boys’ hockey tournament said Tuesday. About sixty cars were stolen during the four weekends in May and June of this year’s Warrior Montreal Meltdown, held in the suburb of Pierrefonds, Dave Harroch said.
Most of the thefts occurred at or near a Pierrefonds sports centre, he said. Others took place at hotels.
Harroch, president of the Montreal Metro AAA Hockey club, said mounting evidence – including a reported 20 cars stolen this past weekend from Americans here for a girls’ fastpitch softball tournament – points to thieves targeting cars from the United States.
“Police should start a special investigation and crack down on this like they did for the biker gangs,” he said.
Montreal police were still compiling data Tuesday and could not confirm if the thefts occurred and if they were linked, police spokeswoman Melanie Lajoie said.
Claude Dauphin, the city of Montreal executive committee member responsible for public security, said he has asked police “to be more vigilant” as a result of the reported thefts.
A unit of 20 officers and 20 police cadets already patrols downtown parking lots, Dauphin said.
The Meltdown tournament included 200 teams of boys age 7 to 17. About 25,000 people, including about 12,000 visiting from the U.S. participated or attended.
“We need more support from the cops,” Harroch said. “I have some people who waited five or six hours for police to show up so they could make a report of their stolen vehicle.”
Next year’s event may be moved to another arena, partly out of security concerns, he said, adding he is negotiating with hotels to provide better parking lot security.
mharrold@thegazette.canwest.com
Montreal Gazette
© CanWest News Service 2007
IN OTHER NEWS:
I have received “illegal” sign photos from a reader and I hope to post them within a few days. Even though the Northend Development issue has been decided, doesn’t mean we now have a free for all with the signs. I and many other people want to make sure that the law is obeyed. And for those who are upset with this, keep remembering who started it. “Oh well, we got what we wanted and now we don’t care about the sign postings” well many people do. The bottom line–it is illegal to post signs on telephone poles–illegal for everyone-not just certain people. Many say the issue is dead–no it is not. And as far as the signs on the ground, that is for the Planning and Zoning enforcement officer to enforce. Their office has been made aware. I can bet you, if I go around with “Undergroundtownhall” signs and put them next to the “Buy Your Home” signs, someone’s signs won’t be there but someone elses will. We may just have to see. As I have said before, all of you would not like it if you got told you can’t do something but everyone else can, now would you?
It seems as if someone on our Town Council is “listening” when it comes to bid waivers. Thank you very much.
Also, a proposal to possibly place the Post Office to the right of Marshalls in the Stop and Shop Plaza (aka Maplecroft Plaza) is getting serious consideration. Thanks to my significant other who proposed this idea a few years ago.
I will re-post in a few days. I have personal business to attend to. And no, the Internet did not REALLY CRASH!!!
