Police are asking the public for tips as they investigate a “widespread” vandalism spree in west Edmonton that affected about 50 residents.
Overnight on June 27 and July 4, police allege vandals used “small, grey patio rock slabs to break windows in vehicles and residences, leaving an immense trail of destruction.”
The culprits struck in Westmount, Grovenor, Meadowlark Park, Jasper Park, Woodcroft, Inglewood, North Glenora, Sherbrooke and Parkview.
“The investigation is still in the preliminary stages,” Det. Nigel Phillips of the Edmonton Police Service’s West Division said in a news release issued Tuesday. “We have no idea at this time what would have compelled someone to undertake such needless acts of destruction.”
“There are a lot of very upset residents out there right now, who are now on the phone with their respective insurance companies.”
Mary Saretski said the home she lives in was targeted in the most recent round of vandalism.
“It was this really scary glass sound.”
She ran downstairs and found a paving stone had been thrown through her front window, resulting in $1,300 worth of damage.
“We thought that somebody was trying to gain access to our house by breaking a window,” Saretski said. “We immediately called police, the dispatcher asked us to stay inside.”
Saretski said through text messages and social media she soon discovered “lots of the same exact paving stones had been thrown through both car and home windows.”
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Investigators believe the vandal(s) may have been driving a white SUV or crossover vehicle that was seen in the area at the time of the incidents.
Anyone with information about a suspect or suspects or the incidents themselves is asked to call police at 780-423-4567. Tips can also be anonymously submitted to Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
Saretzki said people in her community are planning to continue to report anything suspicious to police and some neighbours have been organizing patrols to keep an eye on the neighbourhood.
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