Buchanan police have leads in vandalism case

Published 7:22 pm Tuesday, November 29, 2011

BUCHANAN — The Buchanan City Police Department has received a few leads that have Chief Bill Marx hoping that officers will nab the perpetrators behind vandalism of city holiday decorations over the weekend.

Monday morning city workers discovered eight strings of lights ripped off the city’s common stage in downtown Buchanan. Marx said the culprits broke the bulbs, leaving broken glass on the stage.

“It was pretty aggravating,” Marx said, adding that the police department offered a $200 reward for information leading to identification of the perps.

Eyewitnesses of the crime have come forward, Marx said, so the department is hopeful to make an arrest soon.

Marx said there was about $150 in damage.

“The lighting that we put up is through donated monies, so the taxpayers aren’t purchasing this stuff,” Marx said.

But the city does flip the bill for the labor involved in setting up the display.

The decorations have been replaced with leftover money in the community fund.

Increased police presence will help deter future vandalism, Marx hopes.

“Santa Claus is watching very closely and so is the police department,” he said.

The lighting display will be featured at Friday’s holiday lighting ceremony, which begins with a parade and ends with refreshments and a visit from Santa at the Red Bud City Center.

“It’s a pretty nice little community event and it attracts a lot of local people,” Marx said.

The parade starts at 6:30 p.m., beginning at the McCoy Pond Park and following Front Street to The Common.