Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services
Monday, May 07, 2007

CAMBRIDGE BAY - Vandals in Cambridge Bay destroyed a shed full of goods last week, and the area's non-profit groups are the ones who will feel the greatest pain.

A shed behind Vicki Aitaok's Cambridge Bay home was broken into and vandalized last week. The shed was full of items for the non-profit groups in the community.

"It was stuff for local fundraising: clothing and toys, books, whatever people wanted to donate," said Aitaok. "A neighbour saw the damage on the morning of Tuesday May 2, and called me to tell me."

Through her business The Arctic Closet, she offered a small reward for anyone with information about the crime.

"It was a mess, they had taken stuff and spread it around," she said. "They opened every bag. They ripped open the board over the window and got in that way."

This collection has been growing for two years, and was last used by the library in Cambridge Bay for a fundraiser.

That group received four large boxes full of goods to sell off. They won't have as much to sell next time, according to Aitaok.

"Everything is wet now. It was all stored in sealed bags. I don't know how many dryers we are going to need, and some of it could be ruined already," said Aitaok.

The RCMP is investigating.

"We have some persons identified, but the investigation is still ongoing," said Sgt. Louis Jenvenne of the Cambridge Bay RCMP. "No charges yet, but we do have some names."