West Vancouver Police investigating hate crime after racist graffiti sprayed on cars, mailboxes
Posted July 11, 2019 2:07 pm.
Last Updated July 11, 2019 3:14 pm.
WEST VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Police in West Vancouver are asking for any other possible victims to come forward as they look into a hate crime.
At least two cars and one big community mailbox in the area of Camridge Road between Westhill and Camwell Drive were hit with blue and red paint sometime between 4 p.m. on Jul. 8th and about 4:30 a.m. on Jul 9th.
.@WestVanPolice has launched a hate crimes investigation after at least two cars and a community mailbox were spraypainted w/racist graffiti earlier this week. @GoodMurphyWVPD says the damage is about $7K. Vandals used words, not symbols but police aren’t revealing what was said.
— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) July 11, 2019
The cars and mailbox weren’t things targeted. As officers scoured the neighbourhood for evidence they found racist graffiti on light posts as well.
Constable Kevin Goodmurphy says the damage is over $7,000.
“We’ve conducted [an] extensive canvass of the neighbourhoods, knocked on multiple doors and investigators will still be going back to conduct further canvass. We’re not sure the scale of this yet, there could be more people coming forward to report this type of incident.”
Police are also making it a point not to repeat or reveal what kind of racist language was used.
“We are not able to get into the specific language that was used. I can tell you it was language, it wasn’t any type of symbol,” explains Goodmurphy. “We don’t have a motive at this point. We’re still investigating. We’re in the early stages of our investigation, looking for any witnesses, anybody in the area who may have seen anything or heard anything that night, as well as anyone who may have surveillance footage they could bring forward.”
He admits they don’t have much to go on when it comes to tracking down whoever is responsible. “We just don’t know at this point if there was just one person involved or more until we have further information.”
Goodmurphy says there’s no indication why this specific neighbourhood may have been vandalized and there’s no information to suggest the vandal(s) may return. “West Vancouver Police take these types of incidents extremely seriously. We won’t stand for this type of behaviour in the district.”
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call West Vancouver Police at 604.925.7300 or CrimeStoppers at 1.800.222.8477 (TIPS).
