Downtown Chattanooga Businesses Targeted By Vandalism

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chattanooga Police confirm they have had 125 cases of vandalism since May.

And it’s all in one location: within a 1 mile radius of 800 Market Street downtown.

Most are just cars being keyed, or minor private property damage, but some of them involve the expensive windows of businesses being shot.

Some business owners are getting frustrated.

The CPD did not confirm a specific number of business windows being shot out in the downtown area. But, they are working to compile that information.

One of the cases of vandalism, which also included burglary, was when someone threw a brick through the window of the Mad Priest Coffee Roasters on Broad Street—-that was back in August.

Manager Kate Langhart says she’d like more business owners to speak out about the vandalism.

“It’s very disheartening to hear that, these businesses and law enforcement and people in leadership are not feeling comfortable to speak out about this,” said Kate Langhart, manager of Mad Priest Coffee Roasters on Broad Street.

Ms. Langhart has a theory that more quality activities for youth might help prevent much of the vandalism.

“If it’s the younger generation that’s probably mostly doing a lot of this vandalism, if we give them more outlets, creative outlets, and places to spend their time that would be healthy for them, things like that, like community centers, and along that line, I think would be great answers, great answers to help in the long run of fixing problems like this.”

We weren’t able to get comments on the vandalized window at the Pinnacle Bank on the corner of 8th and Broad —or the expensive window that was shot out at the Nautilus Building on the North Shore. That’s the location of Bote Watersports. That window has already been replaced.

“I think we should just be open to talk about problems that are right in front of us, there’s no reason to hide from them, and I think if we would come together as a community and accept that these things are happening that there is change that can very easily be achieved,” said Ms. Langhart.

The Chattanooga Police Department is hosting a “Crime Prevention Training” for Businesses on November 13th. Company owners can learn how to prevent crime through environmental design.