Police are appealing for help identifying a suspect believed to have caused thousands of dollars in damage to a Pemberton apartment building last week, according to a release.

Pemberton RCMP was notified of mischief to an apartment in the 7300 block of Crabapple Court last Wednesday, Jul 18, after a resident noticed the smell of fresh paint coming from outside his unit. Upon investigating, the resident reportedly discovered pink spray paint on the doors and walls outside his unit. About 10 minutes later, police said the resident “confronted a male dressed in all black—including a balaclava—who put his hands in the air, stated, ‘I’m sorry,’ and then fled the area,” according to the release.

The suspect reportedly fled toward Arbutus Street before being lost from sight.

Police called the damage to the outside of the complex "extensive," with pink spray paint on three sides of the building.

The witness told police the suspect appeared to be a younger teenager, between 5-4 and 5-8 tall, with a slender build.

The RCMP is asking for witnesses or anyone with information on the incident to contact Pemberton RCMP at 604-894-6634 or Sea to Sky Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to remain anonymous.

Police in Whistler and Pemberton have removed nine drivers from local roadways in the past week due to alcohol impairment, according to RCMP.

“All the drivers are now facing substantial monetary fines, points on their license, driving suspensions, impoundment of their vehicles and potential problems with their employment due to the inability to drive a vehicle for up to 90 days,” read a Whistler RCMP release.

Police said that eight of the nine drivers taken off the road last week were male, five drivers were in their 20s, and all of the offences occurred between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m., statistics that largely align with provincial impaired driving trends.

“If your summer activities involve alcohol, plan ahead for a safe ride home,” said Harvey Kooner, local ICBC road safety coordinator. “Arrange a designated driver, call a taxi or take transit—there are so many options to get home safe.”

The RCMP, ICBC and the Resort Municipality of Whistler teamed up on Saturday, July 21 to host an impaired driving educational sessions at Meadow Park and at the River of Golden Dreams, where attendees could try on a pair of Òbeer gogglesÓ demonstrating how alcohol can impair people, as well as complete a Drive Smart interactive quiz.

“The RCMP wants to let the community know that we will not stop in our efforts to remove impaired drivers from the road,” the release continued. “The consequences of impaired driving are just too high, both for the driver and for the public.”