The Moose Jaw Police Service says it is taking vandalism to parking meters seriously, but catching those responsible can be difficult.
Deputy chief Rick Johns said vandalism to meters is a crime of opportunity, and police rely heavily on the public to be their eyes and ears.
“It’s people that are watching an area and may see a meter they want to attack,” Johns said.
“They generally don’t wait until the police are just down the street. They wait until the coast is clear, commit their offence and then disappear. A lot of the time when these meters are being vandalized or the heads are being taken, we’re learning about it after the fact.”
A report to city council on Aug. 25 showed that 292 meters — or 31.5 per cent of the city’s inventory — have been damaged and are unusable. The damage ranges from jammed coin slots, to meter heads being disabled or ripped off, to entire meters being pulled out of the concrete.
Despite rumours to the contrary, Johns said police will investigate any reports of vandalized meters and lay charges if there is enough evidence.
“If a criminal offence has been committed, a file will be generated, and if there are any investigative avenues we are able to look into, those avenues will be pursued,” he said.
Vandalism to parking meters has been a concern for city council for some time, as it means lost revenue for the city, frustration for business owners and increased maintenance costs.
Mayor James Murdock, chair of the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners, said these offences are not happening in broad daylight.
“These are individuals that are creatures of habit that I would say are nocturnal and know when to come out because they have free rein to basically do what they want when it comes to the parking meters,” he said.
On June 23, council passed a motion to temporarily expand its HotSpot paid parking app system to replace damaged and stolen meters in an effort to reduce vandalism.
At the time, city manager Maryse Carmichael confirmed the city had stopped repairing or replacing meters because it couldn’t keep up and “it’s not worth it.”
The city is also considering alternative paid parking options in 2026 to further reduce vandalism.
“Council has moved forward with expanding the HotSpot areas to encompass more parking but in 2026, fully diving into a completely new metering system that will, I think, be convenient for all individuals to use with no vandalism occurring to them,” Murdock said.
Anyone who witnesses vandalism to parking meters is asked to call the Moose Jaw Police Service non-emergency line at 306-694-7600 and provide as much information as possible.