School trustee targeted by vandals
Frank D’Amico’s cars have been vandalized with paint and bricks through windows
A Toronto Catholic District School Board trustee says he considers his safety to be at risk after an almost year-long campaign of vandalism targeting his vehicles.
On Sunday, Nov. 8, Frank D’Amico was leaving his home near Dufferin St. and St. Clair Ave. W. to attend a morning mass and early Remembrance Day ceremonies, when he found his Lincoln sedan had been scratched extensively on the hood and sides.
D’Amico said he contacted Toronto police and sent them video of the incident from five surveillance cameras he has set up on his property — additions made after a string of paint-throwing, tire slashing and other acts of vandalism that have occurred since late 2014.
“Who knows what else they’re going to do,” said D’Amico, the trustee for Ward 6 (York) and a member of the Canadian Forces reserves. “I’m worried they’re going to cut brake lines or something like that.”
In December 2014, D’Amico said one of his vehicles ran over a water bottle full of white paint that had been placed in the road outside his home.
D’Amico said he was not suspicious about the bottle of paint. “We thought someone was littering,” he said.
But on Jan. 14, yellow paint was thrown on D’Amico’s SUV, he said.
Then on Feb. 18, a brick was thrown through the window of D’Amico’s Lincoln, he added.
According to Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu, D’Amico filed a police report Feb. 18 regarding the vandalism and contacted police again on April 11 when he found screws scattered on the driveway and sidewalk behind his parked car.
D’Amico added that, also this spring, one of his car’s tires blew out when he was driving on the highway. He said he later found nails in all four of the vehicle’s tires.
On May16, D’Amico posted security footage to YouTube, showing a vandal spray-painting his SUV.
And, on June 9, D’Amico told police that one of his tires had been slashed.
Video from his security camera showed a woman approaching his Lincoln and crouching down beside the left rear wheel.