Man charged with mischief over damage to Cloverdale Cenotaph

RCMP in Surrey say a 42-year-old man has been charged with mischief related to vandalism at the Cloverdale Cenotaph earlier this year.

The incident happened around 1:30 a.m. on March 29, outside the Surrey Museum on 56A Avenue.

Mounties say someone was seen “dismantling the statue of the Kneeling Soldier as well as damaging various items outside of the Museum.”

Police say they subsequently determined the same person was responsible for also damaging cameras outside a business on 56 Avenue near 179 Street the same morning.

On Friday, police announced Lukasz Paprocki had been arrested and charged with one count of mischief over $5,000 and one count of mischief under $5,000.

The damage to the Cloverdale Cenotaph left members of the local legion hurt and confused.

“To see such damage caused to a sacred, sacred symbol of the freedom and the sacrifices that past service members been through so that today we can live in peace… it’s unheard of,” Cloverdale Legion sergeant-at-arms Yvon Lehoux told Global News at the time.

“I am deeply saddened over this, symbols like this should be revered.”

Paprocki has been released pending a September court date.