VANCOUVER -- For six months now, employees at a dental office and a barber shop in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood have had to clean spit off their storefronts.
“I’d show up on a Sunday morning, and there would be big glob down my window,” said Denzil Wood, owner of Kitsilano Barbers.
Every two weeks, someone spat on their shop doors and windows, and now the incidents have been reported to Vancouver police.
The dentist next door had finally had enough, so he installed a surveillance camera.
It worked.
The camera captured video of a man walking past the office. At the last second, he turns and spits on the door.
“Like spit, phlegm. It didn’t look pleasant,” said Dr. Alex Rosenczweig of Accord Dental.
Nobody recognized the man, so his motive is unclear, but both businesses have signs outside that clearly state COVID-19 regulations – including wearing a mask – must be followed at all times.
Rosenczweig pointed out to CTV News Vancouver that almost every time the man spit at the businesses, it landed on one of their signs.
The surveillance video shows exactly that.
The dentist said in normal times this would just be a gross nuisance, but not during a pandemic.
“We have to think about our customers, and everyone else that comes into the office,” said Rosenczweig. “The virus can survive on surfaces for hours at a time.”
Police confirmed they have the surveillance video and are trying to identify the man.
