Image Credit: Glen Warner

By Dylana Kneeshaw

VANDALISM REPORT

Vandalism and graffiti at downtown medical facility not believed to be targeted: Interior Health

Apr 26, 2022 | 4:17 PM

KAMLOOPS — An Interior Health facility along Lansdowne Street in downtown Kamloops became the latest building to be vandalized in the city this week.

Late Sunday evening (Apr. 24), a rock was thrown at the front entrance of the medical facility, shattering the glass. Shortly after, the remaining windows were sprayed with graffiti.

The paint has been scrubbed away, the shattered window will be replaced, and Interior Health’s Mental Health and Addiction Services officials are brainstorming ways to limit future vandalism.

“Yesterday (Apr. 25) I did a bit of a walk around and talked to some of the businesses that have experienced similar things,” says IH Clinical Operations Manager of Mental Health, Rae Samson, “to talk about what we might do collectively to try and take good care of our neighbourhood.”

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According to Samson, the graffiti message appears to be unrelated to their operations, and nobody broke in or stole anything after the rock had smashed the front window. The facility also feels whomever did this was not a client of theirs.

“We don’t actually think it’s targeted,” explains Samson. “Nothing in the messaging indicated that it was unique or something specific to our centre. We don’t have any reason to believe that it was a mental health or substance use client.”

Vandalism and graffiti aren’t new to the downtown Kamloops area. According to Ray Dhaliwal, the owner of a neighbouring business that was recently tagged, those crimes are uncommon either.

“I was here until 11:00 on Sunday, and then I noticed that Interior Health across the street, their window was smashed. There was no graffiti on the ground at that time, but when I came in in the morning, there was graffiti on there as well,” says Dhaliwal. “Not sure what led to that but we are going to start monitoring (more) and we’re going to put more cameras in the area.”

In his experience operating Ray’s Lock and Key, Dhaliwal says cameras aren’t much of a deterrent, but having footage is useful to report specifics to police.

“Hopefully, no more windows smashed across the street,” he notes. “Sad to say another part of our business is we’re going to start doing roll shutters to prevent that. All the schools have them now to prevent the glass breakage and I can see that coming to Kamloops quite a bit more.”

RCMP, meanwhile, ask the public to keep reporting instances of vandalism.

“Don’t always make the assumption that we know it’s happened,” says Kamloops RCMP media relations officer Cst. Crystal Evelyn. “If you come across it, take the time to pick up that phone or go online and make a report.”

To contact the Kamloops detachment, dial (250) 828-3000 or submit details using the RCMP’s online crime reporting tool.