Vandals shoot up Santa Fe businesses

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) - Vandals took target practice on at least half a dozen businesses in downtown Santa Fe including a Christmas shop that's been burglarized two times in the last four days.

The vandals used a BB gun to shoot out more than 20 windows along Cerrillos Road causing thousands of dollars in damage and an even bigger mess.

For The Shop - A Christmas Store on the plaza, it's just another person who belongs on their naughty list.

"It's not our fault someone didn't get the Christmas gift they wanted," said shop owner Rick Griego.

He and his wife woke up Tuesday morning to their front windows in shambles.  Police believe someone shot them out with a BB gun.

This was the third time the store was targeted in less than a week. Thursday someone broke into their outside display case and took off with Star Wars-themed lights, and burglars did the same thing Sunday.

"You actually feel like you have been violated," Griego said. "I know, myself, last night neither one of us could sleep."

The Griegos aren't the only ones.

"Our windows were shot out.  There were bullet holes in them," said Andree Falls, owner of Sage Bakehouse. "One of the doors was completely shattered."

At least six other businesses were riddled with BBs. There's still shattered glass at the Statements Lighting, Tile and Kitchen store on Cerrillos Road. Police say the vandals caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage, and shop owners don't understand why.

"Whoever did it was just out to damage businesses and just be malicious," Griego said.

"It's just meanness," Falls added.  "Someone wanting to be mean and cause damage.

"I don't understand how they could get pleasure out of that."

Police are searching for surveillance video from around the area but so far they don't have any leads. The victims say while the costs are daunting and unexpected, they're just glad no one was hurt.

"I was thinking what if someone was working in front or what if a customer was in front of one of the windows?" Falls said.

The Christmas store was able to recover some of the stolen property. It was hidden in a bush outside a Santa Fe church, and one of the priests brought it back.