Police in Campbell River are looking to catch a vandal blue-handed, after numerous vehicles were spray painted overnight on June 20.
In total, 17 vehicles were reported to have been spray painted with a blue-grey “chalky” marking paint, the type commonly used in forestry. This series of “random” vandalism happened along Springbok Rd., from Gazelle Rd. to Robron Rd., sometime between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m., explained Maury Tyre, Campbell River RCMP media relations officer.
Anja Smith and her family had not one but three vehicles painted overnight, which she discovered on her way to work in the morning.
“I wanted to cry, and I was mad,” said Smith.
Garrett Lee, whose Subaru BRZ was painted along its side, also found a screw with the same blue paint drilled into one of the vehicle’s tires.
Lee said he had mostly cleaned up the paint, but that the vehicle’s wrap is now scuffed.
Jacob Kennedy’s Mazda 3 was also found with a line of blue paint along the rear of the vehicle, not far from Lee’s Subaru.
“I got the bulk off it,” said Kennedy, who works at a dealership. “I’m taking it to our detail shop tomorrow, and they’re going to take care of the rest of it.”
Smith, Lee and Kennedy all reported the damage to their respective vehicles to Campbell River RCMP.
The total cost of the damage is being estimated between $10,000 and $15,000 — for professional buffing of the paint. But that figure could be upwards of $5,000 to $6,000 per car, should a new paint job be required, said Tyre.
Police are still seeking any witnesses or video of the crimes, and are asking anyone in the neighbourhood with video cameras to check their footage from that night and report anything suspicious observed.
Another worthwile tip would be if someone is noticed with aerosol paint on their clothes or hands, who is not noramlly exposed to that substance, such as at work, he said.
There have been other instances of vandalism in the area as of late, including to fences, windows and garden lights, said Tyre.
Pointless acts of vandalism in the central and southern Campbell River neighbourhoods have been on the rise in the last few weekends and are simply unacceptable,
he said.
Anyone with details about the crime can contact Campbell River RCMP at 250-286-6221 or Campbell River Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.