UPDATE: Memphis Police announced Wednesday that Justina Bell, 29, was arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct and Vandalism over $1,000 in this case.
Bell was also charged with vandalism and disorderly conduct Tuesday at the Peabody Hotel. Police say she threw three large rocks inside the Lansky’s store in the hotel, causing about $2,000 damage and almost hitting a customer.
EARLIER:
MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Police are looking for a woman who vandalized the outside of businesses for several blocks down South Main Street Tuesday morning.
Surveillance video captured a woman targeting property off South Main around 2:30 a.m. You can also hear damage being done off camera.
Tables were tossed into the street and multiple planters were damaged.
WREG was there as police took pictures and investigated, but the business shown in the video wasn’t the only spot that was hit. Multiple planters were destroyed down South Main from G.E. Patterson to the Orpheum.
Tuesday morning, multiple business employees worked to clean up the mess.
Austin Rowe who works downtown was headed to get his morning coffee when he was shocked by the block after block of vandalism.
“Luckily it was just planters, you know? Luckily it was just planters,” he said.
Witness Steve Collier was also disappointed, acknowledging many of these local businesses have dealt with enough hurdles during the pandemic.
“It’s just ridiculous that we’re dealing with this a few days before Thanksgiving. That makes it even worse, you know? It just doesn’t make sense,” Collier said.
As officers investigate, Rowe said he hopes this does not discourage others from making the city better.
“I hope this doesn’t discourage people and people continue to build up. Eventually we will win and just keeping that mentality is what’s going to make the city better,” he said. “I just think that we ought to just come to ourselves and realize that this is not the season to do things such as this but this is a season to rejoice and be thankful, you know?”
If you know anything about the incident, call CrimeStoppers at (901)-528-CASH.