Cyndy Hall holds one of the similar signs stolen in recent weeks from the Bowen Rd./Dufferin Cres. area. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

senseless theft

‘It’s very hurtful:’ advocate furious with repeat incidents of stolen signs

Apr 20, 2023 | 3:21 PM

NANAIMO —– Cyndy Hall hopes the motives behind stolen missing signs profiling her long-lost friend aren’t sinister.

A second round of signs on Bowen Rd. highlighting the disappearance of Lisa Marie Young went missing this week, amounting to seven stolen signs in total.

“Lisa was seen calling and texting from Bowen Rd., it just meant a lot to us to put them on Bowen Rd,” Hall told NanaimoNewsNOW on Bowen Rd. at Dufferin Cres. as she replaced the stolen signs on Thursday, April 20.

Lisa Marie Young was last known to be alive in the early morning hours of June 30, 2002, when she had a troubling phone exchange with a since deceased friend.

Young, who was 21-years-old at the time, indicated she was being held against her will in the driveway of a Bowen Rd. home.

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Hall initially installed four signs to drum up further interest in Young’s case in March, which were removed several days later.

This week three additional signs were swiped from the lawn near the TD Canada Trust branch.

Hall said area businesses were aware the signs were posted and was not aware of anybody taking issue with them.

“It’s very hurtful, it feels disrespectful and whoever took them there’s no use for them, it’s super senseless, they’re probably in the garbage.”

Hall filed a report with Nanaimo RCMP Wednesday night and heard back from an officer confirming the detachment is investigating the theft.

Hall has met resistance during relentless efforts to help advance Young’s case, including during physical searches for her remains.

While random thefts of signs are possible, Hall said perhaps something coordinated is at play here.

“I do wonder if the person taking them wants silence about Lisa and why. I know that’s just speculation, but of course we’ll think that.”

Nanaimo RCMP believe Young was a homicide victim.

Nobody has been arrested or charged in relation to her disappearance.

An annual march of justice for Young takes place on Sunday, June 25 starting from the Nanaimo RCMP detachment at 11 a.m.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes