Victoria businesses damaged in downtown vandalism spree

Victoria police are investigating after several windows were smashed in the downtown core on Thursday morning.

The police department says six businesses had their windows broken but officers believe there may be others that have not reported the vandalism yet.

Investigators are asking for witnesses and those surveillance video from the downtown area around 6 a.m. to speak with police.

Police are especially interested in information from the area between the 500-block of Johnson Street and the 1000-block of Government Street.

Police released a surveillance image Thursday of a potential suspect – a white man wearing black pants and a black jacket with the hood up. Investigators are working to determine if the man was responsible for all of the incidents, police said.

The vandalism investigation began with a smashed window at a restaurant in the 1100-block of Government Street.

While investigating the damaged restaurant window, officers noted another smashed window at a pub across the street, police said.

"Their investigation showed that the same man was responsible for damaging the windows at both businesses," according to a Victoria police release.

While officers were investigating the smashed window at the pub, a passerby approached officers and told them they had discovered another broken window at a store at Fort and Government streets, police said.

Officers spoke with security staff and discovered similarities between the suspect who damaged the windows at the pub and the restaurant, VicPD said.

Patrol officers were called to three other businesses in the 500-block of Johnson Street around 10:30 for complaints of broken windows.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654.