THE New Westminster Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying suspects responsible for racist graffiti following two separate incidents.

The first incident is believed to have occurred overnight between June 5 and June 6 with the victim reporting he found racist messages scratched into his vehicle. The vehicle was parked in the area of South Dyke Road of the Queensborough neighbourhood.

The second incident occurred on June 17 at approximately midnight. A resident called police to say that he was witnessing two suspects spray painting racist graffiti on buildings in the 400-block of East Columbia Street.

When police and the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service arrived on scene no one matching the suspect description could be located. It was at that time that police found five vehicles had also been spray painted with graffiti. Officers searched the area for CCTV footage and evidence.

“When I saw this graffiti I was disgusted with what I was reading,” said Sgt. Justine Thom. “Racist incidents are taken seriously by the New Westminster Police Department. This investigation is ongoing and we’re asking anyone with information who has not yet spoken to officers to call us.”

The New Westminster Police Department has an officer seconded to the Provincial Hate Crime Unit, and these incidents have been shared with this unit.

The suspects in the June 17 incident are described as white males, approximately 20-30 years old, each approximately 5’7 tall. One of the suspects was wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt, the other was wearing a red-hooded sweatshirt.