Inuvik (Feb 18/05) - Security cameras at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce have captured several youth in the act of vandalizing the room housing the automatic tellers.

The room housing CIBC bank machines has been the target of ongoing vandalism for the past several weeks. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

Inuvik RCMP have since seized the tape and are in the process of identifying the youth involved.

"We don't know all the names yet as some (in the tape) were jumping up and down," said Cpl. Merle Carpenter of the events which took place Feb. 13, between 2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. Some of those involved were younger than 16 years of age, Carpenter noted.

"This has become a weekly occurrence," said branch manager Barb Deslauriers. "Kids come in here and trash it every weekend."

In the most recent incident, graffiti that had been painted over became the target for a session of drywall destruction. After the bank had the drywall fixed, vandals wasted no time in adding their belligerent touches in black magic marker.

For Deslauriers, the newest vandalism reminded her of similar events last summer.

"In the summertime, the outside had to be painted several times in one week," she said. "It's not just an inconvenience for the bank but for everybody in town."

And a personal inconvenience for Deslauriers, who has had to field constant calls at home from residents complaining about the damage. The manager says she's contemplating fixing the cardlock but isn't sure what effect that will have.

"It breaks down in colder weather and many kids have bank cards, anyways."

Speaking to the late hour at which the vandalism occurred, Carpenter says he will bring it to the attention of the culprits' parents.

"And we'll ask (the court) for restitution but that's not up to us," he added.