Saanich Police are seeking to identify the mischevious person who cheekily spray-painted happy faces and squiggly lines onto 15 cars in the 500-block of Crossandra Cres. near Colquitz middle school in the early hours of Monday.
Perhaps coincidentally, Monday was also the International Day of Happiness.
Car owner Andrew McMillan wasn’t as distressed once he learned the happy face on his passenger window was easy to remove. Resident maintenance worker Mike Coles-Webb was quick to help owners clean their cars.
“It comes off with hot soapy water, some people were able to clean their cars before work,” Coles-Webb said.
Regardless, Saanich Police is taking the matter seriously with Const. Matt Cawsey leading the investigation.
He said the vehicles were seemingly targeted at random with no known connection between the owners aside from all living within the same complex.
“The paint contained no slurs, no gang signs, nothing obscene, just spray paint on cars, it’s just sad,” Cawsey said.
It likely occurred between 1 and 6 a.m. on Monday.
“We’ve had had a similar event before where someone painted every car along a street but nothing of recent,” Cawsey said. “it isn’t something that pops up all that often either, a bit of a stand out.”
Saanich Police spoke with many of the vehicle owners and others who live in the area, but are wishing to speak with anyone else who may have any information that will assist in identifying a suspect.
“We’ve been successful [in identifying a suspect] previously with similar cases to this,” Cawsey said.
Saanich Police does have a graffiti coordinator in the community engagement division, but with the wet weather we haven’t had much activity lately, Cawsey said.
“Sure enough, as soon as the weather was better someone stays up late and vandalizes property.”
Those with information are asked to call the Saanich Police Communication Center at 250-475-4321 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS
reporter@saanichnews.com
