IQALUIT - Like most 16-year-olds, Charlee Friesen loves the freedom and independence of having her own vehicle.

Her ability to get around in her 1992 Toyota Tercel was curbed, however, when someone slashed all four of its tires outside her house on May 12.

Charlee Friesen kneels alongside one of four tires slashed on her 1992 Toyota Tercel outside her Iqaluit home on May 12. - Derek Neary/NNSL photo

"My dad went to go out and clean it and he noticed the tires were slashed," she said. "I was really upset."

She said she's at a loss to explain why someone would do that.

"I've been trying to find out who (is responsible) since," she said.

Friesen subsequently put up notices on bulletin boards around the community asking if anyone had a set of used tires that she could buy. She caught a break when her sister's boyfriend was recently able to get a set for a good price in the south. He brought the replacement tires back to Iqaluit on the plane with him, she said.

Friesen has been working as a stockperson at NorthMart for close to two years, averaging about 22 hours per week, she said. She'd been setting aside some of her pay and bought the vehicle - through a private sale for $3,000 - using her savings. She also paid for insurance and repairs herself, she said.

She has reported the tire slashing incident to the RCMP. She said she's hopeful the culprit will be caught.

"I don't want it happening again," she said.

Sgt. Rod Faith, of the Iqaluit RCMP detachment, said it appears to be an isolated occurrence as the city hasn't been experiencing a rash of vandalism.

The police have an active file on this case, but without a witness coming forward or someone with incriminating information,

Faith acknowledged the likelihood of catching the guilty party is minimal.

"Unless somebody's actually seen the act... or even having somebody give us a tip-off and then talking to (the suspect) and having them admit to it," he said of the best-case scenarios.