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Prized car vandalized

Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Friday, October 17, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Yellowknife resident Paul Martin is furious after finding his cherished sports car vandalized.

Martin had left his 1995 Mustang GT near the Royal Canadian Legion overnight last Saturday. He returned Sunday morning to find the car had multiple scratches all around the vehicle and slits had been cut into the convertible roof.

NNSL Photo/Graphic

Paul Martin found his prized Mustang GT convertible vandalized with scratches around the car and the hood after he parked it overnight near the Legion last Saturday. - Cara Loverock/NNSL Photo

"I decided to leave it for the night," said Martin. "(The vandalism) had to have happened after midnight."

Martin said he left the car on a side street near the Legion off of Franklin Avenue. He said he didn't think any harm would come to the car. When he picked it up the next morning Martin was stunned to find his prized possession damaged.

"I baby it. I store it in winter. It's never seen winter," said Martin. "I'm gonna fix it up, one way or another."

Martin just got back from a trip down south and had driven the Mustang, which was previously in mint condition, to California.

An employee of the North Slave Correctional Centre, Martin said he did not believe that anyone specifically targeted him and that it was likely "just somebody who was passing along" who decided to damage the vehicle.

He said he is frustrated with the amount of property crimes Yellowknife experiences. "So much of it is happening in this town," Martin said, adding he has twice had his snowmobile stolen in recent winters.

Later on Sunday Martin went to the RCMP to report the vandalism but said so far he hasn't had much help from law enforcement.

"I talked to the guy at the front desk. I guess (the RCMP) will follow up on it," he said on Tuesday.

Martin said he would be grateful to anyone who may have information about the person or persons responsible for the damage but isn't too hopeful anyone will be caught.

RCMP Const. Kathy Law said that in a situation like Martin's a police officer would typically take a look at the vehicle and attempt to gather evidence like fingerprints. If there is no physical evidence the chances of catching the perpetrators is unlikely.

"In a situation like that ... if there's no witnesses there's not a lot we can do," said Law.