A late-night vandalism spree at Old Orchard Hall has cost Port Moody taxpayers $10,000 in cleanup costs and shut down two programs for children for three days while contractors clean up the mess.
PoMo police say the suspects got into the main floor of the building through a rear patio door, grabbed three fire extinguishers and sprayed fire retardant throughout the main room.
They are now looking for the culprits and are asking for information from those who may have observed something suspicious between the hours of 5 p.m. Sunday evening, Aug. 13 and 7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14.
“The hall is located in close proximity to Old Orchard Park and popular walking trails. The Port Moody Police are looking for anyone that may have observed anything suspicious in the area during that time frame,” spokesperson Sgt. Travis Carroll stated in a press release.
Ron Higo, Port Moody’s general manager of community services, says its one of the worst cases of vandalism he’s seen in his 20 years in charge of the city’s parks department.
“It was definitely an act of mischief and with no idea of the consequences,” Higo said.
The discharge from the fire extinguishers covered everything in the upper floor of the hall, including the beams and the light fixtures and the contractor had to bring in two hydraulic lifts so workers could properly clean the facility.
“It was enough to coat the inside of the building. It’s on all the flat surfaces, the window, on the floor… there was fairly extensive cleaning to get it all done.”
In all, it took four people three days to clean up the mess, resulting in the cancellation of a pre-school activity and a week long children’s dance camp.
It’s not likely the dance camp, which had five children enrolled, will be re-scheduled before school starts again, Higo said.
A caretaker is usually on site but has been away because the residence is undergoing renovations. However, the individual is expected to be back on the job in September. In the meantime, people visiting or living in the area are asked to keep an eye on the property.
Police are asking anyone with information about the crime to contact the department at 604-461-3456 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or visit www.solvecrime.ca.
