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B.C. senior’s car vandalized for more than 18 months

Retired RCMP officer determined to catch ‘tagger.’
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Manon Eburne said someone tags her car windows when she parks outside the Westbrooke in Pitt Meadows. (Neil Corbett/THE NEWS)

Manon Eburne is sick and tired of a vandal writing on her car windows.

It has been going on for more than a year and a half. Too often, when she parks in a spot on 119 B Avenue in Pitt Meadows, somebody writes “No Parking” on her window in marker.

And not a dry erase one, but in something that requires solvent, such as fingernail polish remover, and “a lot of elbow grease” to remove.

She suspects it’s some type of construction crayon.

Eburne has volunteered at The Wesbrooke seniors centre for the past five years, and while doing her good deeds is when her vehicle gets “tagged.” The last time was on June 20.

Now the feisty senior, who is a retired Mountie, says she will get her man, or woman.

“I’m determined to catch the individual,” she said. “I’m mad. I’m going to catch that person.”

Eburne has made certain she is not illegally parked, not relying on her own policing background, but after consulting with the bylaws office. She has been told her parking spot is a legal one.

She is also not the only victim. After complaining about the tagging in social media, she found others who have had their vehicles similarly tagged when they park in that spot.

To pull in, she drives northbound on 190 A toward The Wesbrooke, makes a right at the roundabout, and facing city hall makes a quick stop on the right-hand side, near the intersection, in the shade of a tree.

Neighbours say they have also been tagged there, as well as in other parking spots on the street nearby.

The parking spot is beside an elementary school, but Eburne doesn’t believe kids are responsible. The letters are in cursive writing, which is no longer taught.

“Kids don’t write today, they print.”

READ ALSO: Vandalism causes death of 700,000 young chum salmon at B.C. hatchery

The vandalism only occurs when the weather is sunny or at least fair.

Eburne has a lead on who the culprit might be, from a person who lives in the neighbourhood.

She has reported the nuisance to the Ridge Meadows RCMP, after several taggings, but only grudgingly.

“It’s a very petty crime. But it has been going on for a long time – one-and-a-half years,” she said. “I would like to occupy the police with more serious business.”

Eburne wants to catch them in the act, whether by recording them with a camera, through information on social media, or even by stakeout.

“I should bring my knitting and just sit there.”


 


ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com

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Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
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