Last Thursday started like any other day for Jasmine Teske.
She got up in the morning, walked to GFL Memorial Gardens to purchase concert tickets, then walked back to her apartment at 901 Queen St. E.
It was only at around 1 p.m. when she went down to her SUV that she realized something was amiss.
“As I went to put my hand on the door handle, I looked inside and saw the glove box open,” she told SooToday.
“I saw all the stuff all over the seats. It's not the first time that happened to me after leaving my vehicle open by accident,” Teske said.
But when she put her hand on the door, her car unlocked. Confused, she got into the car and sat down while trying to figure out how they got in.
“Then I turned over my shoulder and I was like ‘oh my God. That's how they got in.’"
One of the back windows was smashed.
Teske, who was in shock, called the police and gave the officer a list of items that were stolen.
“I had my little inflatable boat in the back and my two paddles and a drop sheet just in case there's wet stuff in my car.
“There was a bag full of extra clothes, rain pants, shorts, stuff for the beach just in case."
She’s hopeful police can locate some of the items that were taken, including a used knife that her father recently purchased for her at the gun show at the start of May.
He paid $30 for it but Teske believes it's worth more.
“There was a naloxone kit in the bag. That bag got stolen, too. Another grey duffel bag had my hammocks in it, my little mini snorkelling kit, my first aid kit.
“So, I feel like this obviously isn't just some kid that's thinking, ‘Oh, let's go and do scuba stuff.’
“This is somebody that's living out on the streets and they're looking to make their way,” said Teske, who feels more could be done to help people living on the street.
“I would say the best thing we can do for people in these situations is to upgrade our social services and the resources we have – so this isn't their only option.”
She knows there are services available to underhoused people in the Sault, but she believes many people probably feel like they have no choice but to steal to get by.
“In a lot of cases, people feel like this is all they have . . . that this is all they can do.”
The police officer Teske spoke with reached out to her landlord to review security footage for the parking lot at 901 Queen St. E. In the video, you can see someone shining a flashlight into Teske's vehicle.
She is hoping the officer will return her call with the incident number so she can include that in her report to the insurance company.
Teske offered some advice to people who live downtown. Remove all valuables from your vehicle and leave the doors unlocked.
“At the end of the day, I hope obviously they needed that stuff more than I do.
“Thankfully in my case it wasn't tools that were valuable to my job . . . it was extra stuff that I was privileged to have,” Teske said.
This was not the only break-in that happened last week. SooToday reported on several vehicles that were targeted at a nearby Bay Street condominium.