Chilliwack car collector Chris van der Merwe had just about put his 1980 MGB away for the year, when the sun came out and beckoned him to take one last run.
He decided to take the scenic drive up Chilliwack Lake Road on Oct. 23, during a sunny break in an otherwise rainy week. He was planning to go up to the salmon hatchery, but on the way had decided to stop at the Tamihi Rapids Recreation Area, to watch the fishermen along the Chilliwack River.
He parked and locked the fully-restored, award-winning, burgundy car with the soft-top roof closed, and spent about a half hour watching both the salmon and the fishermen in the rapids. But there's where his lovely adventure came to an end.
When he returned to his car, he found the soft-top slashed, not just once but several times, end to end. He said there was nobody in sight when he arrived back at the car, and it was in a totally exposed area where it could be seen by passersby.
There was no other damage, and nothing was stolen. There was no apparent attempt to even get into the car, he noted.
He had hoped the Chilliwack RCMP would offer some help, and drove directly to the detachment, but staff there took his information and told him to call his insurance company. While he's done that, he's also reported the incident to various car clubs that he's involved with, including the Fraser Valley British Motor Club.
They've sent out an alert to club members going for runs on back country roads, reminding them to be cautious about leaving cars unattended in isolated areas.
"What a way to end the season," van der Merwe said.
While he's not sure anyone would have information about the vandalism of his cherished vehicle, he does want to warn others to be wary of where they park. He has also shared the RCMP file number (24-46628) in case someone does know something. The Chilliwack RCMP non-emergency line is 604-792-4611.
