Downtown Vancouver clothing boutique targeted by vandals for the 3rd time since August
CityLux Boutique is among the downtown Vancouver businesses that have been targeted by recent break-ins.
On Monday night, Sunan Spriggs’s business was targeted for the third time since August.
Video captured by security cameras shows two men shattering one of the windows on the front entrance of her building.
"It's like again? It's just so frustrating,” she said, describing the moment she received the call.
Since opening her business on Howe Street in 2016, Spriggs has noticed a steady increase in what she calls a mental health crisis.
“Ever since they started moving individuals off of East Hastings (Street) into other pockets of the city, you started to see those behaviors on East Hastings popping up all around the city too,” she said.
She’s calling on local leaders to address what she believes is the root issue.
"I'm just so frustrated by the government systems in place and the fact that they’e not preventing crime, they're enabling it,” she said. "This city is perpetuating the addiction crisis, which leads to crime and vandalism by making it easier for these addicts to remain in a continual state of being in trauma, homeless, addicted and then having to commit some type of crime to get by.”
Almost daily, she says she is faced with an unsafe situation—whether it’s outside or inside her store.
"Right now the band aid solutions that they're applying, the decriminalization of drugs—yes it takes off the burden of the police and court systems, but it's not actually doing anything to help the addicts or to reduce crime or vandalism in this city," said Spriggs.
According to city councillor Brian Montague, it’s too soon to determine the impact of the decampment on East Hastings, but agrees there are larger issues contributing to crime in the downtown.
"Housing is a huge issue, addiction is a huge issue and mental health is a huge issue,” said Montague.
However, he says those majors issues aren’t something the city is able to tackle on its own, adding that the support of the province is needed.
"(Business owners) deserve to expect that when they leave their business and lock their business up at night time to go home, when they return in the morning to their business, it's not going to be broken in to,” he said.
Spriggs has had to adjust her locking-up process at night. She closes her store two hours early now, has added additional security cameras and lays an empty till near the front entrance—all in an effort to avoid more break ins.
"We're going to have to step up and look at other measures as well. We're looking at gates or some type of protection on the windows," she said.
Vancouver police are investigating, but no arrests have been made in connection to the break-in.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.