By Greg Higgins

Repeat vandalism has Battleford man frustrated

Jun 10, 2016 | 5:00 PM

A local man is taking his frustrations public after vandals damaged his company’s property nine times in the last month.

“It’s getting to the point where the insurance companies are questioning me about it,” Allen Hansen said. “They want to know if I have any enemies. I know I haven’t stepped on any toes.”

Hansen runs a road construction company and keeps equipment on an acreage in south Battleford.

“They don’t steal anything,” Hansen said. “They just smash windows. I’ve had to repair the windows on my service truck twice in two weeks. It’s really frustrating because I don’t seem to be able to do anything about it. They’ve broken into my shop and smashed windows. They smashed the windows of my trailers and some of my equipment.”

While nothing was stolen from inside the business, outside is a different story. Hansen’s service truck was stolen and found in a ditch. He said he now makes sure to take the keys out of his vehicles and lock them up.

Fond Memories

North Stars' 20-year-olds reflect on junior hockey experience: Part 2

6h ago

Fond Memories

North Stars' 20-year-olds reflect on junior hockey experience: Part 1

Apr 18, 2024

Trades in Sask.

Skilled trades need not limited to building homes

Apr 17, 2024

The police have been called out each of the nine times in the last month with no arrests to show for it. Hansen said investigators aren’t sure who is committing the crime or where they’re from.

It’s been five years since Hansen bought the property. He said he had no problems before the break-ins started a month ago.

“It doesn’t seem like they’re going to quit. I had surveillance cameras up and they broke those too. We got a few pictures but they were too blurry. I’m putting up bars across the windows to my shop so hopefully that solves that problem,” Hansen said.

Hansen believes its teens causing the damage with no real purpose behind the attack. Costs are piling up and Hansen estimated the damage amounts to $15,000 out of pocket.

Despite the reoccurring vandalism, Hansen said he’s not alone; many others on the same street as his business had vehicles either stolen or damaged recently.

To make matters worse, Hansen’s acreage is currently up for sale. He said he believes the break-ins have already affected the value of the property.      

ghiggins@jpbg.ca

@realgreghiggins