Thieving Iqaluit vandals trash AWG offices

Amy Elgersma says she knows who’s responsible for a string of break-ins at the youth centre inside the Arctic Winter Games arena in Iqaluit.

The culprits, she says, were members of the youth centre.

But Elgersma, the city’s assistant director of recreation, had to plead her case to city council before she could get the RCMP to lay charges in the case.

“The last message we want for the youth is that there is not repercussions for what you do,” Elgersma told city councillors Oct. 27.

The trouble started Sept. 20, when someone broke into the AWG offices and stole $3,000 worth of cash, checks and taxi vouchers.

The next day, a safe that staff ordered to store valuables arrived at the arena.

On Sept. 27, someone stole the key to a city truck, then took the vehicle for a joyride to Apex. Police recovered the truck undamaged and gathered evidence from the scene.

Then, on Oct. 23, someone again broke into the youth offices through the ceiling, vandalized the place and damaging the new safe so badly that staff haven’t been able to get it open, Elgersma said.

“We believed it would happen again if [they youth] weren’t dealt with by the legal system and [it] did,” she said.

On Oct. 30, RCMP issued a news release saying they’ve charged three youths with break, enter and theft. A fourth suspected participant has yet to be charged.

The accused young persons are to appear in court some time in November. Their names may not be published or broadcast.

Elgersma told councillors she isn’t seeking harsh penalties and would accept the youth being sent through the restorative justice program.

She added the centre has taken steps to prevent further break-ins and now has a security system.

In addition to the $3,000 in theft losses, the AWG centre suffered about $2,000 in damages.