Theft, vandalism in Eastern Passage prompts increase in police patrols

Crime in Eastern Passage has prompted the RCMP to increase patrols.

On Oct. 27 public and private properties were damaged in a rash of vandalism. Bus shelters were damaged and windows at the Tallahassee Community School were smashed.

On Nov. 21 RCMP received reports of thieves entering a vehicle on Melrose Crescent.

“The RCMP have increased our patrols in the Eastern Passage area as a result of these incidents,” said Cpl. Dal Hutchinson in an email.

Leanne Schmidt owns the Violet Unicorn in Fisherman’s Cove, one of the buisnesses vandalized in October.

“It’s happened more frequently within the last year; it feels like there is an increase (but) I don’t know for sure,” said Schmidt. “It could be that people are just getting more vocal about it. I definitely am getting more and more cautious.”

She said community watch or RCMP patrols will deter vandals and criminals. 

“Obviously, they’re not going to be smacking things with a baseball bat if there’s a number of witnesses,” said Schmidt.

Barbara Adams, MLA for Eastern Passage, met with the RCMP on Monday.

“There was a rash of vandalism that was out-of-the-box bad,” said Adams. “This is baseball bats smashing down very thick plexiglass, and then you’re going down to Fisherman’s Cove and then you’re going down to a school. This took them hours and it was very violent.”

Adams said that the Citizens on Patrol organization will be extended to Eastern Passage. Citizens on Patrol volunteers patrol communities and notify the RCMP of suspicious behaviour. 

“The first thing is to ask anybody who wants to sign up for Citizens on Patrol to do so, because that can start immediately,” said Adams. “It’s going to take the entire community to even make a smidgen of change.”

Adams said three people were arrested in relation to the Oct. 27 vandalism and are going through a restorative justice program.

She encourages Eastern Passage residents to report any suspicious behaviour to the RCMP.