‘Very disheartening’: U of M football players’ vehicles vandalized

Members of the University of Manitoba Bisons came back from an away game to find their vehicles vandalized.

A concerned parent is calling for increased security after he says eight vehicles belonging to players from the University of Manitoba’s football team were vandalized while away for a game in Saskatchewan.

Jon Moore, whose son plays for the Bisons, said members of the team parked their vehicles next to the university’s outdoor soccer field last Friday before travelling together to play a game in Saskatoon. When they returned around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, he said the students were faced with an unpleasant sight.

“We had eight (cars), eight in total… just totally vandalized,” Moore said. “They deliberately smashed the back, smashed the side… stuff taken out.”

Moore said the players have designated parking spots near Princess Auto Stadium that they would’ve used—which they can earn through helping at Winnipeg Blue Bombers games—but said the weekend Bombers game caused them to park in a different area.

He claims the vehicles’ windows were smashed on Friday night but said the university didn’t put out any calls to parents or students to notify them. He said that notification would’ve been helpful to allow arrangements to ensure no further items were stolen from the vehicles over the weekend.

“Not even like a call saying, ‘Your vehicle got smashed and stuff,’ because, you know, the security, they have the licence plates, they would be able to tell exactly whose vehicle it is, and they are university kids,” he said.

“It’s very disheartening to see eight vehicles getting smashed and we find out by another teammate or a parent.”

Moore said he contacted the university’s Security Services and was told there was an incident report with the police, but that there was no security footage for the area. He said he would like to see that change.

“In this day and age, video surveillance, anything like that, like even mobile security,” he said. “I understand the University of Manitoba is a big university. It’s hard to catch everything, but, you know, maybe more mobile units.”

He said his son’s vehicle wasn’t vandalized but said he’s told him a couple times to just leave the door unlocked to prevent the windows from being smashed in.

“I just want people to be aware that this is happening on campus. I know theft and break-ins happen, … but when you see eight in a row, that’s huge for these young kids that are working to pay for university.”

According to the university’s website, Security Services operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week on campus.

A statement from the university said Security Services responded to the incident and can confirm there were reports of several break-ins to cars.

The Winnipeg Police Service said they are aware of the incident and are investigating. No suspects have been identified and no arrests have been made as of Tuesday afternoon, a police spokesperson said.