Vandals smash car windows in frequently hit River Heights neighbourhood

A spate of shattered windows on a Winnipeg street has a neighbourhood already concerned with vehicle vandalism on alert. 

Several vehicles along Ash Street, between Corydon and Grosvenor avenues, were left with broken windows overnight, homeowners discovered on Thursday morning.

This type of property crime is not uncommon for the River Heights neighbourhood, whose residents started a Smashed Windows Club on Facebook in early 2015. The attention led police to hold community meetings and Manitoba Public Insurance to cancel the deductible for most drivers whose vehicles were vandalized.

On Thursday, shards of glass littered the street and numerous car seats. CBC News saw a half-dozen damaged vehicles, though some vehicles may have been driven away.

Hannah Molloy is frustrated with petty crimes in her neighbourhood. She figures her vehicle has been broken into four or five times in the last few years.

"This is a bummer," she said. "This is the second time it's happened since June as well."

Jon Waldman, co-founder of the online watch group, believes the area is experiencing a spike in property crime.

"We've seen it hit another peak this year," he said. 

Police have previously told the group that ease of access to the neighbourhood for pedestrians and transit users makes the area an easy target for vandals seeking a quick getaway.

The Winnipeg Police Service said it had not received a report on the latest spate of vandalism as of late Thursday morning.

A request for neighbourhood crime statistics was not immediately available.