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Vandals target Short North business

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Started 4 years ago by jenadrion
Latest reply from ToddAnders

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idkwtflol

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Local business Grandview Mercantile (on the corner of 1st Ave. and High St.) has been targeted by vandals who have continuously broken the huge glass windows that line the building. This is adding up to a huge cost for the business owner, who has been located in the Short North for six years.
For the past 6 months vandals have targeted Grandview Mercantile. They have maliciously been shattering the massive panes of glass that line the south and east sides of the building. Each pane costs over $1,500 to replace. To date 18 panes have been destroyed, including eight within the last month. Additionally, three large planters have been destroyed.
Grandview Mercantile is now offering a $5,000 cash reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of the people responsible for this.

Posted 4 years ago #
n8n

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assholes! I used to live on that corner behind the Donatos on 1st and high. I loved the building but its where I got robbed at gunpoint. There is always groups of shady looking individuals outside of that UDF across the street. I don't want to jump to any conclusions but I'd put money on those characters having something to do with it. Where do I collect my 5 g's?

Posted 4 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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I live nearby, and although I'm up to my ears in stuff at the moment, if someone organizes a neighborhood watch, drop me a line. I can do a couple of overnight hours now and then.

Posted 4 years ago #
jazzypants
Eastmoor
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I often catch the bus out front there and someone kept overturning their big concrete planters one at a time until they just got rid of them. It's a shame. What a cool business. I keep scouting there for furniture. If you're ready to buy 'real' furniture, they've got great stuff.

Posted 4 years ago #
roy
Downtown
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I believe this is within the Short North Special Improvement District (SID), where property owners agree to chip in their own money for special amenities, typically security/litter assistance.
There are two SIDs downtown, the Crossroads and the Discovery, and the security staff has nearly eliminated aggressive panhandling and common vandalism. SIDs are self-governed; members elect a board to decide how their money will be spent.
I hope the members of the Short North SID take a close look at how their funds are being spent. Security patrols would make a remarkable difference.

Posted 4 years ago #
columbus native
Columbus the indie art capital of the world
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for some reason the repeated nature of this sounds kinda like a vendetta. If it's no other businesses in the area and it has happend with such frequency it would appear it could be a personal motive.

Posted 4 years ago #
Matthew
Hilltop
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I just don't understand how you can break such a large pane of glass with nobody seeing or hearing anything. Have any of you ever heard a pane that large break? You can hear it at least a block away because it is more like boom bang crash than tinkle tinkle. Plus you have to hit it a hell of a lot harder- I would say whoever is doing this is using a large crowbar and a hell of golf swing. All of this leads me to think it is probably an organized effort as well.
When I worked in restaurants (not naming any names) the #1 competitor used to send their training teams into our stores to trash them. They would work under the tables discreetly to loosen screws, kick traps off of sinks under bathroom counters, and clog toilets with quickrete and other items that permanently damaged the plumbing. I've heard of other industries with similar situations. We always knew who did it but of course nobody ever saw it happen.

Posted 4 years ago #
luchobucho
Philadelphia, PA
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they should just put up security gates and then nobody could break the windows. Pull the gates down over night and put em up in the AM.
granted......you wouldn't be able to see in the windows very well, but hey, they wouldn't have to keep replaceing windows....they'd prolly get a reduction in the insurance premium as well.

Posted 4 years ago #
Zenperson
\o/hi\o/
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I passed by one day after the windows had been shattered.. It was a shocking sight to see those massive panes in 87821738721 million little pieces, while still intact within the frame. To think they've destroyed 18 of them just blows my mind.... :)

Posted 4 years ago #
Ndcent
OTE
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Couldn't they be also be replaced with lexan?
Anyways - whoever is responsible for the breaking these panes of glass ought to be hanged from one of the short north arches while simultaneously disemboweled. You just don't fuck with the Short North!

Posted 4 years ago #
Matthew
Hilltop
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Actually, you just don't EFF with anyone elses personal property, SN or not. It ain't right. Now string the vandals up. Ugh and the copper thieves while we're at it.

Posted 4 years ago #
Roland
Clintonville
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I also think the windows being broken are too consistent to be random vandalism. It's happened often enough that a pattern should be discernible.
The security patrol suggestion is a good one. Are there cameras in the area?

Posted 4 years ago #
JonMyers
HCMC ✈
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The situation is horrible. It's definitely a vendetta. The rumor is that the individual responsible supposedly got out of prison and is settling the score for a perceived past slight.

Posted 4 years ago #
CDS sherman
East Franklinton
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what worked for my buddies [when people were cutting the catalytic converters off of their customers cars] was we waiting in silence one night untill they came back. the first thing i did was call the police, then we stormed the parking lot, we tried to hold the individual untill the police arrived but after a very violent confrontation he managed to get away. he left his car there so the police were able to get him anyway. but i will admit, it got very violent and it could have gone really bad. do i feel bad that the guy got his face smashed in? no, not at all but it could have gone for the worst. god forbid that guy had a gun or something. but that was an effective way of stopping it. its never happened since and that was in sept.
im not advocating for a violent confrontation, but its dark in that place at night. one could even hang out on the roof, not a bad a idea on a summers night. when the mischief happens, call the police, it also can give one a better idea of whats really going on. i would be up for doing some covert operation. :D

Posted 4 years ago #
Mercurius
First Avenue
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Roland wrote I also think the windows being broken are too consistent to be random vandalism. It's happened often enough that a pattern should be discernible.
The security patrol suggestion is a good one. Are there cameras in the area?
I don't think there are cameras, at least not on the outside. Grandview Mercantile lies a block down the street from my house so if it is random vandalism or youthful indiscretion that is a bit disconcerting to me too. I can't imagine anyone holding a grudge against them (but if itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s not why wouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t they steal things from the inside?)
Everyone there I've met are the nicest people. All of the products IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve gotten from there are of great quality, but I guess you can never discount crazy people. I always come in with Moose and they make over him and give him treats (they know that they really trained him to pull me into the store now.)
Why wouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t insurance cover this?

Posted 4 years ago #
kessler
Georgian Heights
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columbus native wrote for some reason the repeated nature of this sounds kinda like a vendetta. If it's no other businesses in the area and it has happend with such frequency it would appear it could be a personal motive.
This would be true if this were the only business involved. Though it seems to have been the most involved.
The former coffee table was hit shortly after it closed it still hasn't been replaced.
The rental office for the buttles high building was hit on the right window where that tv was. when it was replaced their left window was hit. I think they were hit after they replaced that as well but my memory fades.
oh, and the place beside sole classics was hit. they sell the people movers forget what they are called. all of these were done in the same time frame.
It seems to me there was an article in the dispatch about windows being broken on south campus or the garden district area. about 3-4 months prior to the short north windows. I remember seeing this when I saw the 3rd busted window in the short north.
I think it would be a good idea if the snba would be able to install a few cameras through out the sn. These could be to gather security info or to create commercials etc..
okay i'm rambling.
my point is I'm surprised nobody has mentioned these other business with large windows being broken.

Posted 4 years ago #
dru
IV
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Mercurius wrote
Roland wrote I also think the windows being broken are too consistent to be random vandalism. It's happened often enough that a pattern should be discernible.
The security patrol suggestion is a good one. Are there cameras in the area?
I don't think there are cameras, at least not on the outside. ?
there is at least one camera mounted on the outside wall of West 1st Avenue. i presume it is a fairly new installation, or it seems it would have produced a suspect by now.

Posted 4 years ago #
luchobucho
Philadelphia, PA
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security gates!!!

Posted 4 years ago #
CDS sherman
East Franklinton
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armed solders!!

Posted 4 years ago #
columbus native
Columbus the indie art capital of the world
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I might fully agree with you if the other businesses got hit 18 times on the same night.

Posted 4 years ago #