Following a string of vandalism and theft-related crimes in the last few weeks, a number of businesses near Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Landmark District are worried that the situation will only get worse.

Mike Hlushko, the owner and manager of Minit-Tune & Brake Auto Centres on Springfield Road, said that in his 20 years in Kelowna, the recent theft and vandalism in the area has been at an all-time high.

sa国际传媒淢y motorhome has probably been broken into three times this summer,sa国际传媒� said Hlushko.

sa国际传媒淭hat last one sa国际传媒� we just camped the long weekend. We still had stuff in there, but they just ransacked the whole inside. Itsa国际传媒檚 pretty hard on your personal life and property.sa国际传媒�

The most recent theft saw thieves take a flat-screen TV and a memory foam mattress from his motor home, which he parked behind the auto shop. The fence surrounding the area had been cut, and Hlushko said that he suspects that those living on the margins of society are responsible for the crime.

sa国际传媒淪ociety is all bleeding hearts for them. Isa国际传媒檓 sorry sa国际传媒� once you get your personal stuff stolen and everything, it starts to get hard,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭he police told me that their hands are tied. They do a bunch of paperwork and then they let them out the other side. They donsa国际传媒檛 have any money.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: As vaccine card rolls out, Kelownasa国际传媒檚 top cop promises safety for businesses

Around the corner is the Columbia Bottle Depot on Kent Road, which Hlushko said yousa国际传媒檒l find people sa国际传媒渟trung out on drugs.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淓very business on Spall Road probably deals with it. This whole area sa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 just terrible lately,sa国际传媒� he said.

Down the street at the Sonic Wash Express on Springfield Road, HR administrator and trainer Karissa Bakowy said that attempts of break-ins at the carwashsa国际传媒檚 garbage bin have been the businesssa国际传媒檚 most repetitive and frustrating crime.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 been escalating. As far as Isa国际传媒檝e noticed, they keep getting better tools to break in,sa国际传媒� said Bakowy. sa国际传媒淣ow, wesa国际传媒檝e got a secure, welded lock system on there, so hopefully they cansa国际传媒檛 get through now.sa国际传媒�

As for why people are targeting the carwashsa国际传媒檚 garbage, she said she suspects that perpetrators think that there are valuable items discarded from vehicles after their wash.

sa国际传媒淏ut they must be disappointed constantly because we donsa国际传媒檛 throw out any valuable items,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e clearly trying to get a few extra items, maybe make a few extra bucks.sa国际传媒�

Down the street at La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries on Spall Road, the storesa国际传媒檚 windows were smashed by unknown assailants, while no thefts were reported. Right next door at ProSource Irrigation Supply, this business also had its windows vandalized.

sa国际传媒淪omebody was throwing rocks over the other side of the fence,sa国际传媒� said Travis Turner, the branch manager of Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Pro Source location. sa国际传媒淭ook out six or seven of our windows. There were rocks scattered all throughout our store here, glass shattered everywhere.sa国际传媒�

While no theft occurred, Turner said that he doesnsa国际传媒檛 know why his store or La-Z-Boy were targets of vandalism.

sa国际传媒淚 honestly wouldnsa国际传媒檛 be surprised if it happened again,sa国际传媒� he said.

While he didnsa国际传媒檛 want to label those experiencing homelessness in the area as the culprits, he said that he has noticed an increase in homelessness activity.

sa国际传媒淭he homeless activity has been getting more and more noticeable, especially down this back alley,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淥ver the years, itsa国际传媒檚 been getting worse here and along the other side of the highway.sa国际传媒�

He added that hesa国际传媒檚 also seen an increase in drug deals and violence in the area.

sa国际传媒淭wo weeks ago, I saw two guys over here. One was in a fetal position on the ground, the other guy was stomping on his head,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淥ne of our employees was walking out for lunch, and I heard someone yelling again. I looked up and he was being yelled at by a homeless guy across the street. Itsa国际传媒檚 getting really bad out here.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: Kelowna RCMP still investigating mansa国际传媒檚 racist tirade at vaccine clinic

aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .