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Thursday was an unusual day at work for Steve Poirier, to say the least.
The general manager of Triole Small Engine Sales & Service in Gloucester spent the day serving customers while a sizeable hole at the front of his store was being repaired.
In the wee hours of Thursday morning, somebody in a U-Haul had driven around the Cyrville Road business more than once before backing the vehicle into the building three times, according to Poirier.
The incident was caught on tape, both by Triole’s surveillance camera and that of a business across the street, he said.
“There was so much brick and there was a beam that came down so they weren’t able to get over into the building easily,” Poirer said of the culprits, who were reported to police. CBC Ottawa has reached out to the Ottawa Police Service for information about the incident.
No one was hurt, according to Poirier.
He said two used lawnmowers with a total value of about $400 were stolen before the suspects fled, whereas the U-Haul caused “thousands and thousands” of dollars in property damage.
‘A lot of people were wondering if we’re doing a renovation when they came … and we joked with them that we we’re making a drive-thru,’ Poirier said. (Patrick Louiseize/CBC)
“I mean, to do that sort of damage for two used lawnmowers is just a little absurd,” Poirier said.
The building owner already had people making repairs Thursday.
Poirier said that when customers asked if the store was undergoing renovations, he joked that the business was installing a drive-thru.
“Today was business as unusual,” as the manager summed it up.