A spike in vehicle vandalism in one Maple Ridge neighbourhood is prompting a police investigation.
Ridge Meadows RCMP say they’ve received 36 reports of vehicle vandalism since January 2015, with all of the incidents happening on four streets near the Ridge Meadows Hospital: Laity Street, 117 Ave, 211 and 212 Streets.
Some cars have had glue or oil poured on them. Others have had tires slashed.
“It’s a very unique crime spree for such a normally quiet neighbourhood,” said RCMP Sgt. Brenda Gresiuk.
“It’s very unusual.”
Officers spent Thursday morning, going door-to-door in the neighbourhood, speaking with residents and handing out flyers. Police won’t say why they think the vandalism is happening, but believe someone in the area knows something.
“We have our suspicions, but we like to, being police officers, get the facts and get the evidence to proceed on.”
Residents tell Global News they believe someone in the neighbourhood is frustrated with hospital staff and visitors at the nearby Ridge Meadows Hospital parking on residential streets for free–even though it is legal to do so.
However, options in the area are limited. Staff say there aren’t enough spaces on hospital property and visitors say it’s expensive.
In an email, Fraser Health says it is aware of the situation “and the impact this has had on our relationship with our neighbours.”
The email goes on to say, “We are in the process of expanding parking availability on the hospital site in a phased-in manner. In the meantime, we will continue to work with our staff and our neighbours to find long-term solutions to this issue, and are confident that together we can achieve this.”
The City of Maple Ridge says if residents want to limit parked cars in their neighbourhood, they can apply to create an exclusive parking zone on their street, limiting parking to people with approved permits. So far, none of the residents have contacted the city with that request.
But police are also looking for a long-term solution: to find those responsible for the vandalism.
They’re appealing for witnesses and asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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