Hespeler residents concerned after multiple GRT shelters vandalized on same day
Posted Sep 6, 2019 10:00:00 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Some residents of Hespeler are feeling concerned after eight bus shelters located next to each other were vandalized on the same night.
According to the Region's Director of Transit Services, Peter Zinck, it will cost $250 to replace each broken glass panel – plus the labour cost to clean up the area and install the panels.
“Depending on the number of panels that were broken at each shelter, you can imagine that there would be an increased cost. The cleanup of course takes time and staff effort to do that. As well, customers will be left out in the elements when they could be sheltered.”
Zinck said bus shelters are vandalized more often than the public would think.
“We do get rashes of vandalized shelters in areas from time to time. But it’s not a common thing. It does happen. It’s an unfortunate vandalism that occurs and it ruins the shelter for users.”
Waterloo Regional Police Constable Andre Johnson said the eight bus shelters, which are all located in the same area, were all destroyed on the same day – August 28.
“It appears that the unknown parties used a pellet gun to shoot at the panels, thus causing the damage. At this point the investigation is ongoing and we’re asking anyone with any information to contact police, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.”
Johnson added all of the damaged bus shelters are along the same bus route.
“This all would have happened in the same time frame. It’s not to say that there couldn’t have been multiple people who did the property damage, but based on this instance it does appear that the persons did go along this bus route and damage the multiple bus shelters along the route.”
He said that the shelters were likely damaged between 10:30 p.m. to 11:15 p.m., and it is unknown how many culprits were involved.
