Thieves drive off with truck, excavator
How does a huge 10-wheeler and excavator simply vanish from a busy area of the West Island?
That’s what entrepreneur Tony Michetti is asking himself after his truck and excavator/digger disappeared into thin air sometime last week.
Michetti had brought the truck hauling the heavy machinery to the corner of St-Jean Blvd. and de Salaberry Blvd. because his landscaping company had been contracted by the city of Dollard-desOrmeaux to do some tree planting.
But when Michetti arrived at the site on Nov. 13, he was left scratching head trying to figure out where his truck and excavator had gone.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Michetti said. “It was parked besides Chenoy’s deli because we were doing tree plantation contract on St-Jean Blvd. It was parked on the field of Hydro-Québec beside Chenoy’s.”
He called 911 but apparently, his case was not considered an emergency.
“I called the cops but they never came. So they called by phone and took a report by phone.”
Michetti is hoping there are surveillance cameras nearby that might have captured someone driving off with a big load.
“They were definitely pros,” he said. “A big truck like that had a shut-off switch hidden.”
The excavator also had anti-thief engravings and markings.
The excavator, which he estimates costs $85,000, was covered by theft insurance. But the truck, worth about $35,000, was not.
The theft also means Michetti may not be able to fulfil some contracts his Pincourt-based company (Les Entreprises Marco Michetti) had left to do in 2018, before the ground freezes.
“It’s so hard to make a living in this trade,” he said. “It’s hard work. Then you get to your job site and you’re missing your truck and equipment. I still don’t understand it. I’m still pinching myself.”
He said his bright red truck, which was emblazoned with company logo “M.M.” on the driver’s door, may eventually be found, but he doubts the excavator will ever be recovered.
Michetti, 60, said this is the first time this has happened to him in more than 40 years of working in the landscape business.
“I’ve done jobs in other parts of Montreal where you have a lot more social welfare and never had a problem. We even forget to lock the doors with our tools in the truck and nothing was ever taken. Nothing.
“But here in the West island, I can’t believe it.”