Two car dealerships, loan business shot
Published Feb. 6, 2007
Two car dealership showroom windows and a large window at a nearby loan business were shattered by small weapons fire Friday afternoon, according to a Columbia Police Department news release.
No one was injured in the mid-day attacks at the Albert Motors and American General Financial Services locations.
The shots were both reported to police at approximately 1:10 p.m.
Both businesses are located on North Providence Road near Vandiver Drive, less than a block from each other.
Buck said police did not have any information to determine whether or not the shooter was in a vehicle.
In addition to windows at both locations, a truck outside the loan office was hit three times in the windshield. The truck, a Toyota Tundra, is owned by Nathan Summers, an employee at the loan business.
Summers said he hasn't determined the cost of the damage to his car.
"I haven't made any calls about that yet," Summers said.
The loan business had still not been repaired, Summers said.
Albert Motors general manager Kevin Towns said the glass panes destroyed were so large the replacement panes had to be specially ordered.
"We had the glass company come and put in plywood," Towns said.
Towns said the windows are still covered in plywood and could not be repaired until the new glass arrives.
Neither business could yet estimate how much repairs would cost.
Towns and Summers said the businesses were occupied when the shots were fired and stayed open after the vandalism.
"We finished the day on Friday, and we were closed over the weekend," Summers said. "We haven't had any problems (staying open)."
Police believe the windows were shot with a BB gun, a pellet gun or a similar weapon.
The BB or pellet style guns are readily available, police Sgt. Barbara Buck said.
"I think pretty much anybody can purchase those," she said.
Towns said no surveillance video of the crime was available from Albert Motors, and the news release states no witnesses have come forward.
Buck said nobody reported seeing the shooter, but they heard the shots being fired.
"We're just asking that if anybody was in the area and might have seen something that they might call us," Buck said.