Flood victims in B.C.'s Sumas Prairie now dealing with looters

Abbotsford, B.C. -

As Abbotsford, B.C., lifts more evacuation orders for properties in Sumas Prairie, some residents who are starting to return home are finding not only are their belongings destroyed, but also stolen.

Kelsey Mostertman took CTV News Vancouver on a tour of Ripples Estate Winery on Monday. What was once a rustic chic venue, now looks like a war zone, covered in leftover flood waters and mud.

“With everything we’ve lost, we just can’t stomach anymore at this point,” Mostertman said.

The property is also a well-known barn-themed wedding venue, a palm plant nursery and a distillery. 

The Sumas Prairie area of Abbotsford experienced some of the most severe and prolonged impact after the first round of B.C.’s atmospheric river last month. Mostertman told CTV News water levels were nearly six-feet high. Many of their items were either destroyed or floated away, including 40 wine barrels.

“We managed to locate about ten of them along Tolmie Rd the other day but as you can see, we are pretty busy dealing with the devastation on our property, we didn’t have time to pick everything up,” said Mostertman.

She was shocked to find all the valuable items they left behind on the side of the road were gone the next morning.

“It’s kind of become a free-for-all for people picking up whatever they can find,” Mostertman said.

Mostertman first made her remarks on social media. Her post has now been shared by almost 400 Facebook users. 

She fears as more road barricades are removed, the looting will only increase.

The City of Abbotsford said crews have been clearing debris along flood-stricken roads in Sumas Prairie. However, Mostertman believes the city would not pick up valuable items and leave trash behind.

“We are trying to deal with the devastation on our property and we shouldn’t have to fend off the last of our belongings,” said Mostertman.

When Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun was made aware of the alleged looting, he said it was news to him.

“I have not heard of this,” said Braun. “There are some police barriers that have been stolen, which has been an issue … I will be heading back to the emergency operations centre to let police know this is happening.”

More evacuation orders in Sumas Prairie are expected to be lifted in the coming days. As residents begin to assess the damage and rebuild, the message is clear from residents and officials: if you don’t need to be in the area, please stay away.

“We’ve had enough," added Mostertman. "We just want time to grieve without all of this traffic coming through."