A collection of automobile thefts this week has tainted a global AAA hockey match on the Pierrefonds Sportsplexe.
Groups with among the greatest 12-year-old hockey gamers on this planet have travelled to Montreal from throughout North America and components of Europe to compete.
“It is an important match for this age bracket. The competitors is nice,” mentioned Roberto Gomez, ambassador for the Triple Crown Conflict Tremendous Collection.
4 vehicles had been stolen on Wednesday and Thursday exterior the world.
Mother or father Joe Meyer mentioned he parked the automobile round 4 p.m., and after they left the rink at 7 p.m., it was gone.
“I went search for the automobile, realized the automobile wasn’t there, noticed a bunch of glass on the bottom, and assumed it was stolen,” he mentioned.
All the vehicles had U.S. licence plates.
“You recognize, sadly, it’s what it’s. I simply have three children, attempting to determine tips on how to get dwelling, again over the border and get to and from the rink and lodge,” mentioned father or mother J.T. Caiazza.
Caiazza mentioned his insurance coverage firm will not cowl the price of a rental till he’s again in the USA.
For now, his household of 5 is counting on different households for lifts to the match.
Organizers mentioned the ordeal has given the match a black eye.
“We have really had some suggestions saying that groups will now not be wanting to come back to Montreal due to this. It is not an remoted occasion,” mentioned Gomez.
The sector’s normal supervisor mentioned an identical incident occurred a couple of weeks in the past throughout one other occasion.
Whereas there are safety cameras within the car parking zone, they do not present full protection and did not catch the thefts.
In response to the automobile thefts, the match organizers have taken instant motion. The rear exit of the car parking zone, the place the thefts occurred, has been closed off. Moreover, personal safety has been employed.
Sarcastically, there’s a police station subsequent door to the world — a patrol automobile is now parked exterior.
“We recognize the cooperation that the rink is placing collectively. And we’re going to have coaches and oldsters be extra vigilant and simply preserve a watch out,” mentioned Gomez.
Caiazza mentioned he nonetheless has no thought tips on how to get his household dwelling to New Jersey.
“When you may get away with it, you simply go and do it. So I am not shocked about something anymore. These are the instances we stay in. Sadly, nobody cares about something,” he mentioned.
The match runs till Sunday.
