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Vandals in Comox mangle bus from Parksville

July 7^th, 2008

COMOX - Jazz and musical theatre students heading for Cape Lazo to begin their day Thursday morning had to walk.

The 48-seat bus Comox Valley Youth Music Centre is renting from Parksville-based Forest Transport for 19 days was knocked out of service thanks to vandalism done to the half-million dollar bus. It was parked outside the Comox Recreation Centre for both incidents.

"That's two nights in a row,"bus owner and driver Phred Judson said Thursday. "On the first night, they stole my GPS.

"The next night, someone got inside again and disconnected wires and stole the radio, causing thousands and thousands of dollars worth of damage.

"It had to be an awful small kid, because the window, which is five feet off the ground, is a one-foot square."

Talking with Mounties who investigated the theft and vandalism, Judson said he was warned it's not safe to park in the vicinity of the rec centre.

"I was told you don't want to park it there because there are so many problems where the bus was and in the park across the street where kids come out and play all night long,"said Judson.

The bus was towed Thursday afternoon to Nanaimo for repairs. Judson said the tow bill alone will be about $800. His GPS cost $900, and the bus radio $600.

"They couldn't get the televisions out because they were too big to go through that window,"he said. "It had to be younger people because they didn't know what to do to get the door open."

Judson checked on his bus around midnight Wednesday, and discovered the second break-in and further vandalism around 6 a.m.

"The kids had to walk to their school because the bus wasn't drivable.

"I brought another one in for the afternoon and won't be parking it in Comox that's for sure."

Where does Judson think will be a safe place for his bus?

He's chosen the parking lot across the road from the Comox Valley RCMP detachment.

"If it's not safe there, it's not safe anywhere,"he said. "It's just a senseless act. It's the inconvenience for the CYMC kids and was unnecessary and expensive for me."

If you have information about the bus break-in, contact the Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321.




Original Source:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/news/24038959.html