Vehicles vandalized, entered at airport
Up to 20 vehicles were vandalized and/or broke into at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport over the weekend.
Up to 20 vehicles were vandalized and/or broke into at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport over the weekend.
Another vehicle was reported Saturday as having been stolen from the airport, but the precise day of the theft remains unclear.
Whitehorse RCMP said today they received a report of multiple break-ins to vehicles left in a parking lot at the airport.
Between early Sunday and today, upwards of 20 vehicles were broken into, with windows smashed out, said RCMP Const. Julia Fox.
The breaking of windows is not common for what the RCMP have seen for vehicle break-ins, she said.
Because there have not been reports of specific items stolen from vehicles, it can be assumed that some of the vehicle owners have not returned to Whitehorse from wherever they have travelled to.
The RCMP also do not know if any additional vehicles have been stolen from the airport aside from the one reported taken on Saturday.
Because the owner of the stolen vehicle had been away, the theft was not discovered immediately, Fox said.
“Do not leave anything valuable in your car, especially if you’re leaving it parked for a long period of time,” Fox advised.
“And do not leave spare keys near your vehicle.”
A spokesperson for the property management division of the Department of Highways and Public Works could not be reached for comment by this afternoon’s press deadline.
It is not known whether security staff regularly patrol the parking lots, or whether there is security camera footage of the vandalsim and break-ins.
Comments (12)
Up 3 Down 0
Gang maybe from outside on Aug 15, 2015 at 10:58 am
Gang work
Up 15 Down 1
CJ on Aug 14, 2015 at 11:52 am
@Wayne: "Park here for $5/day, $150/30 days. After 30 days, we'll tow your vehicle. If you lose your parking stub, you'll pay $150 automatically. Buses don't run here in the wee hours of the morning, midnight? Taxis too expensive, not yet wheelchair-accessible? Coming from the communities? Car smashed up, sitting 150 feet from the terminal doors? That's your problem. Signed, your government." Get it?
Up 10 Down 0
Josey Wales on Aug 14, 2015 at 9:56 am
We should re-brand this sty from the ol' wilderness city to send a far more accurate message. Say a new city limits welcome sign that reads....
"Welcome to the political correctness capital of Canada...enter at your own risk"
Up 43 Down 22
Wayne on Aug 13, 2015 at 4:27 pm
"Park at your own risk". If you can't risk it, don't park here. If you park here, you are taking a risk. Get it?
Up 15 Down 2
Heather on Aug 11, 2015 at 4:50 pm
So, what does it cost nightly to park a vehicle there? To avoid a break in, take a taxi or get someone to drop you off! Not worth the headache!!!
Up 16 Down 5
mary laker on Aug 11, 2015 at 4:08 pm
Critter Cams cost $149 at Chinese Tire. How hard is it really to take the slightest precaution on behalf of the hundreds of people who are paying to park there each day?
Up 40 Down 3
Where was security? on Aug 11, 2015 at 11:03 am
Where was security?
Up 85 Down 3
wow on Aug 11, 2015 at 8:52 am
"Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport"
- security that patrols and gives out tickets if you take too long to unload
- no security for the car lot
- not one cctv camera in sight for the car lot
Yes I realize it states park at your own risk, but this is Whitehorse.
We need to catch these few sh*trats that are causing 95% of the recent problems of property crime and vandalism and put them away.
Up 26 Down 50
Josey Wales on Aug 11, 2015 at 7:10 am
ah what a lovely wee town we NOW are eh folks?
Up 44 Down 5
CJ on Aug 10, 2015 at 11:49 pm
One car's windows getting smashed can be missed, but 20? That's pretty hardcore. It's lame to suggest people left "valuables" on the dashboard, by the way. It sounds like someone was seriously deranged that night.
I have to admit I figured my vehicle was safer there, even if they didn't promise security, if only because it's populated. If the fees have to be charged because the parking lot is "full" at all times, it seems like there must be some revenue left over that can be put towards a secure parking lot. Or drop the fees and go back to "at your own risk". Right now YTG is just having their cake and eating it, too.
Up 37 Down 23
YukonMax on Aug 10, 2015 at 7:51 pm
No doubt with the increase in fees in the past year they could have installed cameras. No one is manning the gates or the payment machine inside the terminal either. I think it is time for the private sector to step in and open a park and fly lot in the vicinity which would free up the airport land for future expansion. Let's face it, the private sector runs business more efficiently then any government when they base their businesses on a long term vision.
Up 41 Down 4
jaymanic on Aug 10, 2015 at 6:35 pm
Haha the security doesn't cross the front road way unless it's to give a ticket for people parking to drop someone off.