Residents of doomed Sunshine Coast subdivision facing looters, vandals

Homeowners who were forced to abandon their properties on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast due to sinkholes say they’re now grappling with rampant looting.

Residents of 14 properties in the Seawatch subdivision were forced to evacuate their homes in February 2019, when erosion and sinkholes rendered the subdivision unsafe for habitation prompting a state of local emergency.

The state of emergency was finally lifted last year, but residents have been unable to return.

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Now, they say thieves and vandals are targeting the properties, and officials in the region refuse to do anything about it.

Resident Ed Pednaud has been returning regularly to his property in the beleaguered subdivision to document theft and damage.

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On Wednesday, he showed Global News smashed pipes and flooding, destroyed ceilings and graffiti inside the home.

“It’s gotten worse, absolutely, because I believe they know they can walk into here with impunity at night time, nobody is going to stop them, so they have a free-for-all,” he said.

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Adding insult to injury, Pednaud said there has been no action from the municipal government.

Due to safety concerns around the sinkhole, firefighters won’t come to the property unless there’s a life-safety emergency, and police won’t respond to reports of vandalism or theft, he said.

“Its ridiculous that we can’t have law enforcement patrol at night time or walk through here a couple of times a week to keep people out,” he said. “We’re not asking for 24 hour security, for RCMP to walk around here 24 hours a day but we would love to have somebody come in with us when we see something that’s happened.”

Sechelt RCMP told global news it can’t respond to any property crime in the neighbourhood due to the risk to officers, adding they would only respond if it’s a life and death emergency.

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The District of Sechelt won’t comment on matters related to the Seawatch subdivision due to ongoing litigation.

Homeowners have launched numerous legal challenges, and have lost nearly every one so far, but continue to fight hoping for some form of compensation.

In the meantime, residents remain displaced and financially on the hook for their unviable homes.

Property values for some have plummetted from more than $1 million to around $2, according to recent BC Assessment figures, and continue to be subject to vandalism and squatters.