A mural to beautify the Seymour Skate Park was defaced over the weekend.
SEYMOUR — Police said they have zeroed in on a suspect involved in one of two break-ins at small businesses over the weekend.
Both the Sacred Art Tattoo Gallery located in the Seybridge Plaza, and Trish’s, a downtown gift boutique, were burglarized.
Seymour Police Chief Paul Satkowski said Tuesday police are getting a warrant in connection to a person suspected of breaking into one of the businesses. He declined to say which business.
“We have a suspect in one of the burglaries,” Satkowski said. “We’re making progress on that, and the suspect may be linked to burglaries in several other towns and we’re working with other agencies.”
Satkowski said police have yet to determine if the break-ins at Sacred Art and Trish’s are related. Sacred Art Owner Steve Murzin told The Valley Indy on Monday that the thief stole $5,000 and a pricey Nikon camera. Information about the burglary at Trish’s wasn’t available.
This man broke into a tatto shop in Seymour early Saturday. Anyone with information should call police at 203-881-7638.
While police are working to solve the commercial burglaries, they also have their hands full with a rash of vandalism at the town’s skate park, Bungay School, and Gary Park.
Vandals spray painted a sexual image on the ball field outside of Bungay School, but public works was able to quickly remove it before the elementary kids saw it. The basketball rims at Gary Park, which police said have been a frequent target, were also damaged.
At the skate park next to the Community Center on Pine Street, vandals defaced a recently-installed public mural.
According to First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis, surveillance camera footage from the skate park is being reviewed. A small group of kids appear to have been involved in ruining freshly painted artwork there, she said.
Just last month, a group of local artists from a newly formed Valley Center for the Arts, Inc. donated their time and talents to create colorful new murals on the skate ramps.
“It’s a slap in the face to the artists and all the hard work they put into the skate park, and it makes the younger kids sad and the adults mad,” Drugonis said of the vandalism. “We’re a tight knit community, and when you attack one of us, you attack all of us. The skate park and the surrounding field is dedicated to a twin, Ronald Randall, who died in the (Vietnam) war protecting us, and (the vandals) are insulting him and all of us.”
Drugonis said there are security cameras throughout the town parks, but she said the town is going to have to invest in better cameras, step up police patrols and install better lighting to help deter vandalism.
Satkowski said police patrol the town parks and town buildings and properties as part of their regular patrol duties, but it’s simply not feasible to station a police officer at the parks at all hours.
“We try to be as vigilant and highly visible as possible,” Satkowski said. “We patrol the town parks, but we can’t be everywhere at once. We rely on the public’s help and assistance. The parks are here for our enjoyment, and when someone comes in and defaces the property, it’s very discouraging.”
Satkowski encouraged the public to call police at 203 – 881-7600 if they witness vandals in the act, or if they have any information regarding the recent vandalism and crime sprees.
Drugonis took to the town’s Facebook page to discuss how disheartened she was to learn of the weekend vandalism and crimes.
“I think with the nicer weather and COVID restrictions being lifted, more people are getting outside, but destroying property is not the right thing to do,” Drugonis said. “To anyone that’s doing this, you’re not only disrespecting yourself, but you’re disrespecting your family, as well. When we do find out who’s responsible for this, we will make them pay full restitution. I’m not tolerating this.”
