As a woman walked her dog at Dick Murphy Park at Tyee Spit Tuesday, she and others were seeing vandalized grass for the first time.
“This is new. I was here yesterday and this wasn’t here yesterday,” said the woman who didn’t want her name used. “They just have no regard for other people’s properties, that’s all I can say and it’s too bad that they ruin it for everybody else.”
In fact, Campbell River RCMP say two other parks have been hit as well over the last few weeks, Ruby Park and Canterbury Neighbourhood Park, torn up by tires more than once.
“These are parks and green spaces that children use and the substantial amounts of damage, although the driver of the vehicle may not consider it, can easily be within the thousands of dollars to repair,” said Campbell River RCMP Constable Maury Tyre.
News of the Campbell River damage comes after CHEK News reported Monday that a farmer in Central Saanich caught two teens tearing up his hayfield in their pick up trucks on Saturday. They now face possible charges.
Police in Campbell River don’t have a vehicle description but say someone knows something about who did it.
“When we’re looking at something like this it’s not just a damage issue, it’s not just a mischief issue, this is a severe danger issue,” said Constable Tyre. “When you’ve got someone who’s acting that inappropriately with a vehicle they’re acting inappropriately with something that can be a weapon, that can kill somebody.”
“This isn’t quite as ripped up as Saanichton but I mean it’s really sad that someone had to go to this extent to have a thrill,” said the woman with her dog at Tyee Spit.
In comparison to other crimes, this may not seem that big a deal, but City taxpayers will pay for the repairs and police are treating it seriously
“It is a very important thing for the community to take individuals like this off the road and have them held accountable,” said Constable Tyre.
If caught, the person or people responsible could be charged with mischief and that carries fines worth thousands of dollars and even possible jail time.
Dean Stoltz
