Three dozen TransLink bus shelters damaged in vandalism spree
Metro Vancouver Transit Police are investigating a series of vandalism incidents that have left dozens of bus shelters damaged across several municipalities, including Burnaby, New Westminster, and Surrey.
The investigation began after TransLink’s operating subsidiary, Coast Mountain Bus Company, reported multiple damaged shelters along 152nd Street in Surrey earlier this month.
On Feb. 2, Transit Police were notified that 14 bus shelters on 152nd Street between 26th Avenue and 86th Avenue had their glass shattered, apparently by a small projectile.
Since then, Transit Police investigative units have identified similar damage in other parts of Metro Vancouver.
In total, approximately three dozen bus shelters have now been linked to the same pattern of vandalism, stated Transit Police in a news release today.
A photo shared by Transit Police of a damaged bus shelter shows shattered glass. Most of these bus shelters feature a design of enclosed glass to provide waiting bus passengers with weather protection.
Transit Police have not released details about potential suspects but are asking for the public’s help to move the investigation forward.
Anyone with information or video footage related to the incidents is urged to contact Transit Police at 604-515-8300 or by texting 87.77.77. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or online.
Police state the damage poses safety concerns for public transit users and crews, and are encouraging witnesses to come forward as soon as possible.
Although these bus stops with shelters serve TransLink bus route services, the shelters found next to public sidewalks next to roadways are typically installed and maintained by cities — a responsibility of Metro Vancouver’s municipal governments. Some municipal governments created these shelters through third-party contracts with companies that specialize in advertising on street furniture.
Each shelter carries an installation cost of tens of thousands of dollars, based on previous figures by the municipal governments of Burnaby and Surrey.
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