Enterprise proprietor calls Bakersfield window vandalism a ‘Conflict in opposition to competing civil rights’

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – In the past few weeks Bakersfield has seen a series of window vandalism, with the blame being placed on the homeless population. But is there more than one side of this story?

Robert Paar with the Bakersfield Police Department says vandalism is an ongoing problem across the city.

“We have received 25 reports of vandalism in the past 5 days, but not just downtown across Bakersfield City,” said BPD Sergeant Robert Pair.

An all-too-familiar scene earlier this month – a rash of window damage in the downtown business district. Marc Vandueren was arrested and charged with six offenses of vandalism. The damage is estimated at over $ 7,000.

“I’ve had more broken glass and broken windows in the last 8 months than in the last 68 years in the store,” said the downtown Rosco Rolnick guarantee shoe center.

Rolnick says that while he saw the homeless population skyrocket, that’s not the problem.

“The problem is people who have mental health problems. The state and other municipalities have removed all health facilities for these people, ”said Rolnick.

But BPD says there’s more to it than that.

“Sometimes it’s a psychological problem, sometimes it’s destruction for the sake of destruction, or sometimes it’s for more nefarious reasons like an attempted break-in,” said Sergeant Pair.

Just blocks away in East Chester, Stephen Harris’s building suffered smoke damage after a fire in the store next door, causing his tenants to shut down and go out of business.

“What is going on in my situation has nothing to do with mental performance. It’s a hardcore criminal element that just walks through these streets causing chaos, ”said Stephen Harris, developer. “I’ve tried to restore the building, but it’s almost impossible because I get break-ins every night. Homeless people come in and I can’t keep them out. We go into the windows and doors, they just tear off the boards. You are not afraid, not afraid of the police. “

Harris says the police rarely come out if they happen to pass by and catch someone in the act. Usually they ask him to call code enforcement. Harris says this has been an ongoing problem for a month, with the last break on Thursday night.

“The city just has to take a stand at some point, you know, this is really a war against competing civil rights, and does a person’s property rights have any meaning or value at all, or will the city politicians just sow seeds here, give up entire areas and only allow lawlessness” said Harris.

Harris says he’s not blaming the police for this, but hopes his message is a call to action for city officials.

“This is a political situation, the city guides here are not doing their job. It is not surprising that they are giving up parts of the city that the area is trying to redevelop,” said Harris.

Reaching out to Alderman Andrae Gonzales, KGET made the following statement: “I understand that many business and property owners in downtown are disappointed with vandalism. To be honest, I’m frustrated too. I worked day and night with my colleagues on the city council, city officials, BPD, and downtown stakeholders responding to issues in downtown Bakersfield. ”
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