New Westminster police investigate racist graffiti written on vehicles

New Westminster police are hoping the public can help them identify suspects responsible for racist graffiti in two separate incidents.

Police said the first incident is expected to have occurred overnight between June 5 and June 6 when someone reported finding racist messages scratched into his vehicle.

The vehicle was parked in the area of South Dyke Road in the Queensborough neighbourhood, police said.

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The second incident happened on June 17 at approximately midnight, when a resident called police to say that he was witnessing two suspects spray painting racist graffiti on buildings in the 400 block of East Columbia Street, police said.

When officers arrived, no one matching the suspect’s description could be found but police said they did find five vehicles had also been spray-painted with graffiti. Officers searched the area for CCTV footage and evidence.

“When I saw this graffiti I was disgusted with what I was reading,” Sgt. Justine Thom said in a release. “Racist incidents are taken seriously by the New Westminster Police Department. This investigation is ongoing and we’re asking anyone with information who has not yet spoken to officers to call us.”

The New Westminster Police Department has an officer seconded to the Provincial Hate Crime Unit, and these incidents have been shared with this unit, police confirmed.

The suspects in the June 17 incident are described as men, approximately 20 to 30 years old, standing each approximately five feet seven inches tall. One of the suspects was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, the other was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, police said.