Police search for vandals

This window at Helen K Furniture on U.S. 43 in Russellville was one of more than a dozen busted by vandals over the weekend.

The Russellville Police Department is seeking help from the community to find the person responsible for a string of vandalism over the weekend.
According to Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett, the police department started receiving calls on Sunday morning with reports that various windows had been busted out of several different vehicles.
Hargett said the vandalism took place late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
Hargett said as of Tuesday morning, officers had completed reports for approximately 15 vehicles, mainly in the downtown area, with windows that appeared to have been shot out with some type of pellet or BB gun.
In addition to the vehicle windows, Hargett said three businesses in the city limits also had windows that were shattered during the same time frame.
“It appears that most of the vandalism took place in the downtown area with the exception of two of the businesses that were on the east side of U.S. 43,” Hargett said.
He added that no items were reported stolen from any of the vehicles or businesses that were damaged, so it seemed that the motive for the crimes was just to destroy property.
“This was just a senseless crime,” Hargett said.
“Whoever did this obviously didn’t realize or care what kind of hardship they would be putting these people through who are now having to replace their car windows or the windows on their businesses.
“With the economic times we’re living in, no one can afford to have their insurance go up or to fork out money for repairs they shouldn’t have needed if someone hadn’t been so senseless and careless.
“We’ll be investigating every lead into this sting of vandalism to bring those responsible to justice.”
Hargett said that anyone who has any information about these crimes is asked to call the Russellville Police Department at 256-332-2230 or the Shoals Area Crime Stoppers at 256-386-8685. Anonymous tips can also be given through the RPD’s website at www.russellvillepd.org.
Hargett said there is a possibility of a reward for any information that would lead to an arrest in these cases.