Multiple fences have been vandalized in a central Maple Ridge neighbourhood.
Harman Deep Brar, who lives about three houses away from Maple Ridge Secondary School (MRSS), said a section of his family’s fence was vandalized early Monday morning, Aug. 9. He claims that the culprits also banged on their door and shouted, “Go back to your country”, amongst other things.
A banging that his son compared to the S.W.A.T. team breaking down a door.
When they called the police, Brar felt the issue was not taken seriously.
He was told by responding officers that they were already working overtime, and that his fence was not considered a crime.
Susan Freemantle, who lives directly across from the school, had at least one full panel of her fence taken out and two others broken off the posts.
Her son heard a loud noise at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, but thought it was at the school.
It was only later in the morning when Freemantle let her dog out into the yard that she saw the damaged fence.
“They must have kicked those fences in,” she said.
She also had someone banging on her door at about 4 a.m. on Monday.
“When I went to look there were kids running off,” she said.
Her son was told by police that there were three other houses that had their fences vandalized in the area.
Both Brar and Freemantle believe the vandalism is linked to people partying in the field at MRSS.
Brar claims parties have been taking place at the high school all week. He has been getting up at about 1 a.m., keeping an eye on things and performing a block-watch, and they have made several reports to the police.
“I just go and circle in my car, and I watch these guys are always there, and then I just call the police,” explained Brar.
Thursday night, he said, there were at least 20 people on the grounds ignoring signs informing people that the park is closed after 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. every night.
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Ridge Meadows RCMP confirmed they received one complaint of mischief to a home in the early hours on Monday, Aug. 9, along Mountain view crescent.
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“Several sections of a fence were vandalized. At this time it is still in the early stages of the investigation, and police will look at all factors including any motivating circumstances,” said Const. Julie Klaussner with the Ridge Meadows RCMP.
Ridge Meadows RCMP also responded saying that, “vandalism absolutely is considered a crime however, calls of a more seriousness nature will get prioritized accordingly.”
A Ridge Meadows RCMP unit supervisor has been directly in contact with the complainant, more than once, added Klaussner, and the investigation is still ongoing.
Freemantle’s family were able to fix the fence themselves and they are getting their landlord to put in some concrete to hold the panels in place.
Brar’s family was also able to fix their own fence, costing them about $100, and more than four hours of their time, to put it back together.
Is there more to the story? Email: cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com
