Lac Pilon cottage-dwellers worried after string of break-ins

Sainte-Adèle cottagers and residents are on high alert after a string of break-ins over the past three weeks around Lac Pilon, located about 90 kilometres north of Montreal.

The first break-in was on June 23. Several homes have been robbed since then, with mattresses, appliances, and electronics being stolen.

Matthew Smith's home was broken into, along with several others on his block.

"The neighbours on one side were also victimized on that Tuesday or Wednesday. And then just last week, they were at it again with the neighbour on the other side of me," he said.

Thieves slept over

He said he heard that during one robbery, the thieves made themselves at home.

"They actually spent the night in one cottage, preparing themselves a meal and sleeping in the beds," he said.

Smith said one of his neighbours left her home to run errands and when she came back two hours later, her house had been broken into and robbed.

"Either the burglars were just lucky in their timing, or they were perhaps sort of sneakily observing people's comings and goings," Smith said.

No arrests

The SQ is investigating, but hasn't made any arrests yet.

"Some evidence has been collected and sent to the lab to be analyzed," SQ spokesperson Stéphane Tremblay said.

"We also held a meeting with residents of the lake last Friday with a sergeant ... to give some tips on protection."

Smith's cottage has been in his family for 45 years and he said the recent break-ins are the most crime he's seen in all that time.