Several downtown business owners here were forced to replace storefront windows after at least one suspected pellet-shooting incident in recent weeks.
Small holes were discovered in the glass at Special Effects Ladies Fashions, the General Store and two other Fergus businesses.
Employees with Grand River Glass were busy on March 12 and 13 replacing the glass at the four stores.
Linda Sinclair, owner and operator of Special Effects, said an employee first noticed the damage when she was working on a window display on March 12.
“Gwen was doing the window Wednesday morning and she noticed the glass (pieces),” Sinclair told the Advertiser as her window was being replaced.
Gwen Morrison, who has worked at the store for 20 years, said, “I turned and there was a big crack and there was a hole.”
Grand River Glass employee Nick Horbay said it looked as if the impact of the pellet caused a small hole that eventually led to cracks as the window vibrated when the front door was opened and closed.
Grand River Glass owner Mike Spadafore said damaged windows present a danger to those responsible, to people walking by and to workers replacing the windows.
“It’s completely dangerous,” Spadafore said.
He added damage to storefronts can be caused by people fighting or pushing each other close to windows or, in this case, pellets.
“It’s not often,” he said of the frequency of vandalism involving downtown stores.
Sinclair said last week’s incident is the second time damage has been done to her store. The first incident, several years ago, involved damage to the front door, she said.
The OPP was notified of the window damage at the businesses and police were contacted for more details, but they had not issued any information on the incidents by press time.
