Snowmobile theft wrecks weekend plans for young Lorette family

“Why are you stealing a kid’s sled? Are you planning on presenting your own child with a stolen snowmobile?” That is the top question on Lorette mother Chanelle Cournoyer’s mind after her four-year-old daughter’s favourite Christmas present was stolen this morning.

Cournoyer, who lives along Marcouk Avenue says the snowmobile went missing sometime between 7:20 AM and 8:05 AM.

“We thought maybe it was stolen overnight but one of our friends across the street mentioned that he drove past our home this morning and it was still there,” she offers.

Wanting her child to enjoy her last day of daycare for the week, Cournoyer says she dropped her daughter off without informing her of the devastating news. 

“We just bought her this little sled and it is her pride and joy and this would absolutely break her heart,” she states. “I don’t know how I am going to tell her. She is going to think this is a punishment for her doing something wrong. I don’t know how she will understand that somebody took something. She is not at the age where she thinks people are bad yet.”

In the Cournoyer family, owning one’s own snowmobile is a significant milestone; it means you are old enough to learn how to ride and fix machinery all by yourself. This weekend, the family had planned their one big trip of the winter and had rented a cabin in Lac Du Bonnet near a large network of snowmobile trails. For that reason, the snowmobiles were all loaded onto a trailer Thursday night rather than being locked in the garage as usual. Cournoyer expects someone took advantage of that opportunity and stole the sled.

“I am livid and I will not let this down.”

She spent the morning calling and canvassing the community asking if anyone had any details on the snowmobile’s sudden disappearance. The local RCMP detachment has also been contacted and says they too are looking into the situation. So far, Cournoyer says they have very little to go on.

Anyone who has more information on this theft is asked to contact the St. Pierre RCMP or Crime Stoppers.