One of SookeB次元官网网址檚 finest old homes B次元官网网址� Deerlepe B次元官网网址� has been all but destroyed by vandals who have broken the leaded glass windows, smashed walls, and plumbing fixtures, and spray painted every surface within the English-style country estate.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a situation that has at least one neighbour angry and a previous tenant of the property wondering what sort of people would perpetrate such wanton, mindless damage on what was once a stately home.
The mansion was built in 1926 when Capt. P.W. de P. Taylor and his socialite wife Margaret made Sooke their home. It had 12 rooms (most with fireplaces), servants quarters (and a servantB次元官网网址檚 staircase), and an elevator.
Fr茅d茅rique Philip, the owner of the Sooke Harbour House, told the Sooke B次元官网网址 Mirror how her family had rented the home from 1995 to 1998 and how she still has fond memories of the rambling mansion.
B次元官网网址淚t was all very English with a lot of bedrooms, a separate staircase for the servants and beautiful woodwork,B次元官网网址� recalled Philip.
B次元官网网址淲e put some electric heaters in to warm it up a little, but it was a very large, very nice house.B次元官网网址�
At the time, the home was owned by the Manning family but was sold to film director John Lee Thompson and his wife Penny in 1998.
B次元官网网址淲e left there soon after, but we had so many good times in that house. ItB次元官网网址檚 so sad to see what people have done to this wonderful home.B次元官网网址�
Steve Christensen, who owns a home on an adjacent property walks his dogs through the Deerlepe grounds and is appalled at the mindless damage done to the house.
B次元官网网址淭here had been some damage done in the past, but it really has increased over the past year. IB次元官网网址檝e chased people out of there and itB次元官网网址檚 not just kids. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what I canB次元官网网址檛 understand,B次元官网网址� said Christensen. B次元官网网址淪ome of these guys are, like, 35. They know the difference between right and wrong. How bored do you have to be with your life to go into a house and destroy it for nothing?B次元官网网址�
Although the property had been looked after by Sooke resident Pat Forest while it was owned by the Thompson family (who lived in California), the house and extensive, 30-acre oceanfront property was sold in 2008 to unknown off-shore buyers and has been unsupervised since.
B次元官网网址淲hat people have done to the place since then is criminal. The police should be aware of this and do something,B次元官网网址� he said.
Christensen said heB次元官网网址檚 certain police are aware of the situation as heB次元官网网址檚 seen them out B次元官网网址渁 hundred timesB次元官网网址� when people have called to complain, but nothing theyB次元官网网址檝e done seems to deter the vandals.
B次元官网网址淓veryone knows that this is happening, and no one is doing anything about it,B次元官网网址� he said.
The RCMP were unavailable for comment.
Staff from the Sooke B次元官网网址 Mirror accompanied Philip to survey the house first hand.
Standing in the middle of what was once her daughterB次元官网网址檚 bedroom, Philips shook her head sadly as she examined the smashed windows and walls and the beer can strewn floor.
B次元官网网址淭his was a beautiful home. Why would anyone do this?B次元官网网址� she asked.
mailto:tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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