15 vehicles damaged in northeast Edmonton crime spree
Residents on a street in the Beacon Heights neighbourhood in northeast Edmonton woke up Thursday morning to find thieves had been on a crime spree in the area.
About 15 vehicles parked on one block were broken into and the contents were stolen.
It happened around 11 p.m. Wednesday in the alley east of 43rd Street between 122nd Avenue and 123rd Avenue.
Two of John Demers' vehicles were damaged.
"This neighbourhood is all right, we haven't had much problem around here at all," Demers told CBC Thursday. "But this is a smash and grab up and down all the lane."
Stephen Lacey had the window of his work truck smashed.
"Looks like somebody decided to knock out one of the windows and help themselves to some of my property," Lacey said. "Company laptop, heated liners for in my boots, tool bags, cordless equipment, stuff like that."
He estimates his loss at about $2,000.
Michael Thomas noticed the window of his work truck was smashed when he went outside to start his wife's car Thursday morning.
He has a security camera and lights outside his house. The security video footage shows two men breaking into vehicles, he said.
"You can hear them smashing windows nearby, you see them checking three or four vehicles," Thomas said. "You see them crawling in through the window, rifling through everything, taking bags."
Thomas said the crime spree is about more than a minor theft.
"We're losing business time, we're filing claims and paying deductibles," Thomas said. "Everybody's going to have a half or a whole day off of work and some of us run small businesses that need our attention every day."
A spokesperson for Edmonton police said officers are investigating and residents are encouraged to report all crimes.
