ATHOL — Storefronts along a stretch of Main Street, from downtown to uptown, were riddled with BB or pellet holes shot by an unknown vandal or vandals earlier this week.
Athol Police officers were seen going from one business to the next, carefully inspecting the glass windows on Main Street stores Thursday morning after receiving multiple reports from business owners of what they described as bullet holes in the glass found overnight.
Officer Donald Hager, who was inspecting the storefronts downtown, said it appeared that BBs or pellets were shot from a moving vehicle.
Brian Stoddard, president of Cornerstone Insurance at 534 Main St., said one shot or BB punched a hole through the business’ plate glass window the size of a quarter. He has already contacted his insurance company and a glass company to discuss his options.
“We have to determine if it can be corrected, or whether the hole has made the glass structurally unsound,” he said.
He noted that the business experienced the same type of occurance five or 10 years ago.
Marc Duguay, owner of S&S Appliance at 447 Main St., said two of his windows were struck. “It’s safety glass,” he said. “It didn’t shatter, but made a dimple. Hopefully they will find the guy who did it.”
He said the holes were as high as he is tall.
The Olde Time New England Seafood Restaurant, uptown at 2294 Main St., was also a victim of the vandalism.
Donna Baldic reported that holes were found in windows in two separate incidents, and one of their doors was shattered.
“Hopefully they will find whoever did this,” she said. “We are right across from the (state) police station. They must have cameras.”
Sarah Lyman, from Hometown Realtors at 486 Main St., said a window was struck by a BB and the door to the office was shattered.
“Everything has now been fixed,” she said. “It’s just been an inconvenience. This is something I have worried about for a long time.”
Initial reports that Scrafty Custom Signs at 437 Main St. was hit, were unfounded. Owner Stephanie Cook said what Hager saw was “old damage from the past.”
Detective Douglas Kaczmarczyk, who is in charge of the investigation, was unavailable for comment prior to press time.