Vandals target vehicles in River Heights again

A River Heights' man is fed up after one of his family vehicles was smashed by vandals for the 10th time in three years. Jonathan Strauss said his wife's car was targeted overnight Thursday in their carport.

This time, the driver's side window was smashed. It appears nothing was stolen. Strauss said four other neighbours also had their vehicle windows smashed.

"I'm kind of numb to it, to be honest.I just thought, 'Great, here it is again. I'm going to miss a meeting this morning because I've got to deal with this,'" Strauss said. "I'm more pissed off at our government for the fact that they haven't been able to figure out to do something about this than I am at the guys doing it."

Strauss said police told him vandalism goes in cycles, and they have stepped up patrols in River Heights.

He said all vehicle owners should be concerned. "I'm told the cost to replace one of these windows is over $1,000. But my deductible is $200. So every time I pay the $200 to MPI you and everybody else is paying the other $800 cost."

Strauss said up to 50 vehicles have been damaged on his block in the last three years.

Strauss wants the city to set up a unit to target vandals, similar to the police stolen auto unit. He would like to have a dedicated group tracking perpetrators of vehicle or other vandalism. 

"I feel like living in Winnipeg and living in River Heights and living in Canada I shouldn't have to be concerned about where I park my car," Strauss said. "I don't live in a bad neighbourhood and I don't live in a crime-ridden city."