Although police say there’s no “direct correlation between” the instances, several businesses in Hope were left sweeping up the aftermath after a series of acts of vandalism and a break and enter occurred during the weekend.
Sometime during the night hours between Sunday, Mar. 17, and Monday, Mar. 18, the Hope Visitor Centre and Museum on Water Avenue was broken into.
“It was determined that several antique, and inoperable, rifles were stolen,” said staff sergent, Karol Rehdner.
The guns “were chained together and chained to a wooden rack that was crow-barred from the wall,” explained Sarah Brown, the museums currator.
Donated in the ’70s by a family with history in the area, the eight rifles were about 100 years old, and had been used mostly for hunting purposes in the area in the 1800s.
“We’re not so much concerned about them being used as weapons,” said Brown, “but they’re valuable as in they (are) directly related to Hope’s history. They were priceless items for us to (have stolen).”
Also during the weekend, three seperate cases of vandalism were also reported to police.
“Each of them were in the downtown core of Hope and were to local businesses,” explained Rehdner. “Nothing was stolen in any of the … occurrences, however, glass was broken in each (case).
“Other than the fact that each of the businesses are located in the downtown area, I do not see a direct correlation between (them) that would indiated a targeted event, (but rather), a set of random acts.”
At this time, Hope RCMP are reaching out to the public to seek their assistance and ask for any information about these crimes. Please contact the Hope RCMP at 604-869-7750, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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