Midtown Columbus business dealing with repeated vandalism

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Repeated business break-ins in Columbus’ midtown are starting to add up financially for owners.

The owner of Simply Carol’s Hair Salon, Carolyn Freeman, says they have been dealing with the aftermath of vandals hitting their business for four weeks now.

Freeman says it started with derogatory words painted on the walls. She says this is the first time in her six years in this building.

Carolyn Freeman says the vandalism started with broken windows. The business beside her had their windows broken first, then a week later, her back window was busted.

“One day last week in the window my window was broken, so it’s just been going on from one week to the other, but like I said, we did find on the video we saw that the young man that was doing the writing on the wall,” says Carolyn Freeman

These burglars not only broke windows but spray-painting pornographic images on all three nearby businesses. I spoke to another business owner who did not want to be identified. However, she says whoever is doing this should be ashamed.

“Like I said, I don’t see why kids have to go around and do vandalism to feel good or think they’re being brave because they certainly aren’t.”

With four weeks of damage Freeman says she has to put out the money she didn’t anticipate. Freeman says it is costing her money and is starting to get terrifying.

“At this point, now it’s getting leary afraid because now you know it’s getting escalated. You don’t know what’s going to happen next. You know we may walk out and find anything,” says freeman

The officer, in this case, says he will try his best to patrol that area often. However, if you are caught vandalizing property, you can find yourself behind bars and charged with Criminal Damage to Property, spending 1 to 10 yrs. in prison, plus fines.

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