Warning! Theft at a local community pool.
Tuesday evening, May 12, we went to Piscine Pierre-Lorange in Hochelaga for a swim. It was our first time there, and unfortunately we did not notice the small warning sign about the repeated thefts happening at this facility.
After enjoying about an hour in the pool, I came back to find my locker broken into. The lock had been forced open, and nearly all of my belongings were stolen, except for my shirt and jacket. Another person’s locker had also been broken into that same evening, and thieves attempted to break into my friend’s locker as well. Fortunately, they failed, but the damage to his padlock was clearly visible.
In the end, the most valuable item stolen was my phone, but the larger issue is that this appears to be an ongoing and escalating problem. We reported the incident to the staff, who were sympathetic but clearly frustrated themselves. According to them, these thefts have been happening regularly and have become even more frequent over the past two weeks.
What is most alarming is the complete lack of preventive measures. There are no security cameras to identify suspects, and despite repeated incidents, the city does not appear to be taking meaningful action to protect citizens using this public facility. Staff advised us to contact 311, but after trying for days, I still cannot get through. The lack of response only adds to the frustration and sends the message that these repeated crimes are being ignored.
How many more thefts need to happen before the city finally treats this as an urgent public safety issue? Residents should not have to risk having their belongings stolen simply for using a public swimming pool. Any advice on how to escalate this matter or get the city’s attention would be greatly appreciated.
UPDATE: Finally was able to reach 311 and got my file number. Police report has been filed as well.