Skip to content

Getting help collecting evidence on a vandal

Betty Bandstra thanks a Smithers constable who gave suggestions on how to catch a billboard vandal.
8448639_web1_web-letterstotheeditor-teaser

Editor:

An open letter to our local Royal Canadian Mounted Police:

I want to say thank-you for the respect with which I was accorded when I filed a complaint about the vandalism that occurred on Thursday, Aug. 31, just before Labor Day weekend.

The billboard that advertises a local community service to help those who are unsure about a pregnancy was covered with a black substance — again. If all the other business signs along the highway were vandalized every year because someone took offense at the products being offered, there might be more empathy for the cost and labour this vandalism inflicts on our non-profit, member-funded Pregnancy Care Centre.

But I greatly appreciated the time given me by the constable to explain the problem. The constable has been in the community long enough to know this is repetitive, and he was most helpful with suggestions to help acquire evidence that would more likely lead to a conviction.

I also inquired about the possibility of using Crime Stoppers and a week later I heard on the radio that Crime Stoppers was looking for any leads to help them solve this crime. Because, yes, it is a crime to maliciously destroy what you do not own and there are laws against this in Canada.

The crime is even worse if the damage is inflicted onto a living creature and Canadian law does not even allow “ownership” as a defence; ask the SPCA. It completely baffles me, however, that a human life has less value than animals and property. Why does Canada not have a law that protects the pre-born human life in the womb? If you consider it acceptable to be distraught about an abused dog, would you not be moved to even greater compassion for the innocent child in the womb and the birth mom who just needs some care and support?

I am glad our local police treated this property crime with seriousness. I hope that some day our country will enact a law that will treat the killing of the pre-born with even greater seriousness.

Sincerely,

Betty Bandstra

Smithers