Vandalism is just about the most senseless type of property crime. In a society that demands a reason for every action, the fact that there is no reason behind vandalism makes it incomprehensible.
There’s no point in explaining the wrongness of it to the people who commit vandalism because 2 + 2 = Duh to them. I could spend my time better by digging a hole in the middle of the ocean.
What makes more sense is pointing out to you something that you already know, but the more we repeat it and pass it around, the better we become - that we are the solution to vandalism and a lot of other crimes.
Don’t think for one minute that the RCMP can do it all. Even in a Detachment 100 times the size of Ashcroft’s, they still rely on the public’s helpful reporting.
We are the eyes and ears of our communities. No one knows our streets better than we do.
Vandalism hurts. It hits us not only in the wallet, but it also hits at the heart of a community. Whether it’s done on private or public property, it affects all of us who value our peaceful co-existence. Vandalism belittles the time and effort we’ve put into our yards, it mocks the importance of businesses or public buildings, and in a recent case, it has damaged - again - the soccer field where so many of our children spend their summers.
A broken goal post can be replaced, but why should it be? Money isn’t that abundant around here that it can be replaced without somebody’s budget feeling it.
You are all part of an informal neighbourhood watch program. It is up to you to keep an eye out for yourself and your neighbours. And by your example, hopefully others will watch out for you.
Vandalism may seem like a small thing if you aren’t directly involved in the damage, but over time, vandals can take on larger “projects” if they think they can get away with it.
Call the police or, at least, call your neighbours if see something that is not right. The worst thing you can do for your community is to keep your mouth shut.
Wendy Coomber is editor of the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal