By Barett Poley
Winnipeg, Manitoba — February 16, 2017 — It looks like it’s automotive vandalism season in Winnipeg. Some autobody shops in the city are seeing a massive spike in repair orders due to vandalism recently.
Grant Sicotte is the owner of Marion Auto Body. He’s seen a lot of broken windows on the cars rolling into his shop lately. “It’s vandalism. People are breaking windows to get into customers’ vehicles to steal change. Steal whatever. It could be a bag. A backpack. It could be anything,” he said, according to a report by CBC Winnipeg.
The amount of vandalism isn’t small, either. Autobody shops from around the city are seeing more and more vandalism than ever before, as many as 15 percent more vandalism-related claims are showing up compared to this time last year.
“For the last few weeks, eight to 10 claims were brought to our shop. That doesn’t include the ones that are at the compound that were towed because of vandalism as well. Once they are assessed by MPI, they will get towed here,” said Sicotte.
The vandalism seems to mostly be in the form of smashed windshields. Sicotte told the CBC that smashed glass on vehicles is getting priority due to the nature of the vandalism.
“We try and turn it around in a day as well. Just to make sure the customer is secured. We can bring back the vehicle at a later date if there is damage to the body. You don’t want anyone, when it is –20C, to be driving with a window that is missing,” he said
Boyd Autobody and Glass Manager Clarissa Marr told CBC Winnipeg that she has noticed the trend as well, and that the vandalism is coming from all corners of the city, not a specific neighbourhood. “I have seen windows smashed for hair clips. Glass jobs are steady here and from all different areas of the city,” said Marr.
