THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 12, 1994 TAG: 9407120347
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
When Buster Hedgepeth stopped by his used car lot Sunday morning he was greeted by a heartbreaking sight - the windows of 21 of his vehicles had been shattered.
Five more had been broken by Monday morning, bringing the total to 26 vehicles and an estimated $25,000 to 30,000 worth of damage, Hedgepeth said.
``I've been here for four years, and we've had vandalism on and off before, but it's just gotten crazy in the last two months,'' said Hedgepeth, who owns Buster's Auto Sales in the 3700 block of Victory Blvd.
``One here and one there . . . you can stand it, even if you don't like it. But 26 in one weekend . . . you can't live with that,'' Hedgepeth said.
Some of the vehicles had side windows broken, some had windshields broken, some had both, Hedgepeth said.
``When you're talking about replacing windows all around on a van, you're talking a good $2,000 or so, and for a jeep about $1,000,'' Hedgepeth said. ``People just don't realize how expensive these things are.''
One weekend last month, Hedgepeth said, someone broke into seven cars on his lot, and two other cars were stolen. One was recovered in Suffolk a few days later; the other is still missing.
Earlier this month, Hedgepeth said, a man was caught on the lot by police after stealing three stereos and one battery.
``The guy told police he did it because he was homeless and hungry. I guess he wanted me to be homeless, hungry and uninsurable,'' Hedgepeth said in disgust.
But this past weekend's damages were the most frustrating yet - not only because of the number of vehicles and the cost involved, but because of the senselessness of the crime.
There was no evidence indicating the vandals had tried to steal the cars or anything in them, Hedgepeth said.
``Pure destruction, that's what it is. It's a shame,'' Hedgepeth said.
He said he plans to build a fence around the lot and will keep a dog on the property. ILLUSTRATION: JIM WALKER/
Staff photos
Eight windows were smashed out of this van at the lot in the 3700
block of Victory Blvd.
Buster Hedgepeth of Buster's Auto Sales peers through the smashed
window of one of his vehicles. He says vandalism has exploded at his
Portsmouth lot in the past two months, and he's particularly
frustrated
by the senselessness of the acts. ``Pure destruction, that's what it
is,'' he said. ``It's a shame.''
KEYWORDS: VANDALISM by CNB