Edmonton police have arrested a 31-year-old man in connection to a vandalism spree that damaged 39 vehicles and apartment windows throughout Bonnie Doon at the end of September.
On Sept. 30, police were dispatched to an area near 89 Street and 83 Avenue after reports of the damage. Officers interviewed residents who reported damage to 17 vehicles that included slashed tires and smashed windshields.
Police dogs were dispatched to the area, but were unable to find a track.
Then, early in the morning on Oct. 3, police were dispatched back to the area after a report of a man waving a knife outside a business.
Witnesses said the man then walked into a nearby residential neighbourhood where he smashed multiple vehicle and apartment windows with a hatchet.
Leif Knutson’s vehicle was damaged. While speaking with Global News on Friday, at least three dents and scratches could be seen along the passenger side of his truck.
“The whole side of the truck has to be replaced so it’s extremely frustrating and sad,” he said. “But luckily no one was hurt.”
Tyson Keddie is a University of Alberta student who relies on his vehicle to get to class and to practice. He said his mom woke him up early Thursday morning saying there was a man outside with a hatchet.
Keddie ran outside to see the man attacking his new car.
“He had taken two good wallops into my windshield and then carried on down the street.”
Keddie is particularly frustrated because insurance won’t cover the damage to his windshield. He says the quotes he’s received so far are between $300 and $400 out of pocket.
Jeremy Judge actually came face to face with the man after his dog’s barking made him realize there was someone outside.
“I looked out and I saw a guy just smashing my neighbour’s car with a hatchet.”
Judge says he ran outside and the man taunted Judge to ‘come at him.’ Another neighbour flagged down police while Judge tried to stay a safe distance away from the man, without letting him get away.
According to Judge, every car on his block, a total of seven, was smashed by the man.
Joshua Campbell is facing 39 counts of mischief under $5,000.