Police in B.C. are warning the public to stop vandalizing the Abbotsford home of a repeat sex offender, saying the attacks are draining city resources.
James Conway, 40, has a long criminal history — including sexual assault, arson, and sexual interference of a person under 16 — and a pattern of targetting girls in a "predatory and opportunistic manner," said B.C. justice officials.
Police issued a public warning about the high-risk offender after he was released from custody and moved to Abbotsford in August, east of Vancouver. He obligated to follow several release conditions including electronic monitoring and 24-hour supervision.
Since then, police say they've received over a dozen calls about alleged harassment, including rocks thrown at Conway's house, threatening letters, and concrete poured over a water valve, according to the Abbotsford News.
On Saturday, the vandalism escalated when the home was flooded, reported The Globe and Mail.
Police said someone crawled up to the attic with a hose and left the water running around 2 a.m., according to the outlet. Part of the ceiling collapsed while Conway was inside. The damage is estimated to cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix.
No one was injured, but Const. Ian MacDonald said the incident is the final straw for police, and asked the public to step down.
"We certainly could like to appeal to them from the standpoint of the draw that they're creating on police resources that could be better allocated elsewhere," the officer told CBC News, adding that vandals could face charges.
Police said they're installing security cameras on the street to discourage any more attacks.
Neighbours have rallied twice to protest Conway's presence in the area.
According to the man who owns the house that Conway lives in, the offender is mentally handicapped and medicated, reported CTV News.
Brian Vos, who rented his house to an agency linked to Community Living BC, told the outlet that Conway isn't a threat because of his "health issues."
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