The manager of a Howe Street jewelry and silk boutique is increasingly frustrated with a cyclist who has vandalized her store five times since March, but hasn’t stolen anything.

“I don’t think it’s a huge priority (for police),” said FREYWILLE manager Louise Aird Wednesday of a case that involves the suspect arriving on a mountain bike, laying down a miniature blowtorch with the flame against the glass door at their shop at 511 Howe, and then just riding off. Ten minutes later he returns for his torch and leaves. Soon after he’s gone, the door shatters.

So far, she said, it’s cost her business $25,000, but that the bill is likely higher than $50,000 because other nearby businesses are getting the same treatment.

She said that because of its safety film, the glass can take hours to fall, meaning that the suspect gains nothing by his actions, not even the thrill of seeing the glass break.

Aird said the latest act of vandalism happened at 2 a.m. June 18, but that it wasn’t until 8:30 a.m. — with the sidewalk in front of the boutique crowded with people — that the glass finally fell.

“It’s a miracle that someone wasn’t killed. That was eight feet of half-inch tempered glass falling, of a piece, onto the sidewalk.”

Aird said that she’s heard of at least three other nearby businesses, including two coffee shops, getting the same treatment, but that police have not yet arrested anyone despite footage provided to them of the suspect in the act.

“We’re stuck with a wooden door here for two weeks. We’re frustrated because there’s not much we can do unless I hire someone to stand in front of the windows all night.

“I’ve been told he’s just another street kid on a bike. But the public has to help catch him because these are not misdemeanours.”

Vancouver police Const. Brian Montague said police are aware of the matter, but can’t discuss anything about potential suspects, only that there have been no arrests.

Montague also noted that because nothing was stolen at FREYWILLE, it’s being treated as mischief. “It can be challenging when someone does this, especially when it’s a mischief. We encourage everyone to report suspicious activity.”

He said police have received multiple reports from FREYWILLE, and that he’s aware of one similar incident at a nearby salon, where a blowtorch was used to break into the business.

Montague said images provided by FREYWILLE were not the best quality, and that “if they have better images, we’d be interested in that.”

bmorton@vancouversun.com