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Vehicle vandal accused of doing $500,000 worth of damage at dealership

photos supplied Coquitlam RCMP

Police are on the lookout for a suspect accused of damaging nearly 400 vehicles in three “mass car keying” sprees this year.

While wearing a toque and a surgical mask, the suspect allegedly walked through the Journey Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Ram dealership at 1300 Dominion Avenue, systematically scratching each vehicle.

Surveillance footage dated Jan. 15 shows the suspect walking along the western edge of the dealership with an umbrella in her left hand and an unidentified tool in her right, scraping vehicles as she passed.

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On April 7, she also damaged the exterior of one of the buildings on site.

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Police opted to release the footage and appeal to the public after other investigational avenues were “exhausted,” according to Coquitlam RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Alexa Hodgins in an email to the Dispatch.

The suspect is described as between 40 and 50 years old with shoulder length blond hair and glasses. Police suspect she drives a 2008-2013 Ford Escape.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 604-945-1550.

Author

A chiropractor and a folk singer, after having one great kid, decided to push their luck and have one more, a boy they named Jeremy Shepherd.

Shepherd grew up around Blue Mountain Park in Coquitlam, following a basketball around and trying his best to get to the NBA (it didn’t work out, at least not yet).

With no career plans after graduating Porter Elementary school, Jeremy Shepherd pursued higher education at Como Lake Middle School and eventually, Centennial High School.

Approximately 1,000 movies and several beers later in life, Shepherd made a change.

Having done nothing worth writing, he decided to see if he could write something worth reading.

Since graduating journalism school at Langara College, Shepherd has been a reporter, editor and, reluctantly, a content provider for community newspapers around Metro Vancouver for more than 10 years.

He worked with dogged reporters, eloquently indignant curmudgeons and creative photographers, all of whom shared a little of what they knew.

Now, as he goes about the business of raising two fascinating humans alongside a wonderful partner, Shepherd is delighted to report news and tell stories in the Tri-Cities.

He runs, reads, and is intrigued by art, science, smart cities and new ideas. He is pleased to meet you.