Vandals and potential burglars struck Cobleskill early Saturday morning, smashing windows on Main Street and trying to break into cars on Washington Avenue.
Although the incidents happened at about the same time, Cobleskill Police don’t believe they are related.
Harry Ioannou, owner of Newberry Square on Main Street, said he received a 5am call from police, who told him three large plate-glass windows had been broken at the store.
He and his building superintendent, Tim Mater, were at the scene later Saturday morning to removed the shattered glass and cover the windows with plywood.
“These windows cost $1,200 apiece, minimum,” Mr. Ioannou said.
“It wasn’t one person. It had to be a bunch of people,” he continued. “One kid wouldn’t be motivated to do this by himself.”
Cobleskill Police Sergeant Rich Bialkowski said officers interviewed residents nearby but so far have no leads.
Officers also didn’t find rocks, bricks or tools that may have been used to smash the windows, he added.
“There’s no evidence of BBs or pellets,” Sergeant Bialkowski said. “If they used an object, it wasn’t left behind.”
Police Chief Mike O’Brien estimated the windows were broken about 4am. What’s puzzling, he added, is that crews were out clearing snow up and down Main Street, yet nobody saw anything.
“Our cars are constantly going through there,” Chief O’Brien said. “And people were out all over the place plowing snow.
“There were no footprints by the windows. . .Nothing’s screaming out at us. It’s very bizarre.”
Just blocks away on Washington Avenue, residents awoke to find, in the freshly-fallen snow, footprints trailing through backyards.
The prints apparently showed at least two people had gone from car to car, checking to see which had been left open.
The prints went through yards on both sides of the street and in some cases, into unlocked garages.
Although cars, glove compartments and garages were entered, nothing was apparently taken, Sergeant Bialkowski said.
Neighbors believe the prowlers came between 1:30am and 5am because one resident was at work during that time. The tracks weren’t there when she left but were when she returned.
Also, one neighbor said, the tracks were partially filled in with snow, so they came while the storm was winding down.
Sergeant Bialkowski said this isn’t the first time cars have been entered on Washington Avenue.
“There have been several other instances,” he said. “It’s been an on-again, off-again thing. Generally, it’s been kids.”
The Newberry Square vandalism and Washington Avenue tracks probably aren’t connected, Sergeant Bialkowski said, “because there’s no similarity.”
Anyone with information about the smashed windows or the Washington Avenue incidents can call Sergeant Bialkowski at 234-2923.