From the Past: Vandals wreck local businesses, clean up continues

This story was originally posted on April 12, 2001: Some business owners are still cleaning up the mess a group of vandals left behind Wednesday night.

Locked doors didn't keep the looters out.

They broke windows and stole clothing from store owners in Over-the-Rhine, Avondale, Bond Hill and Norwood.

However, most of the damage happened on Vine Street at Smitty's Clothing and The Big Dollar stores.

Some people in Cincinnati told 9News they don't agree with the vandalism, but some said they understand it.

They said it may help the business owners and people who live outside the community understand how angry and hurt that another black man was killed by a Cincinnati police officer.

"Due to the fact that they did all that made all these people who cared less about the shooting, now they're interested in the shooting now because the shooting is effecting them," said Hosca Thomas of North College Hill.

The curfew imposed by Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken is supposed to keep the looters off the streets. Some people said it will work and others said it won't.

Wednesday night's violence also initiated a disturbing trend. The vandalism and looting branched out to other neighborhoods.

In Madisonville, broken glass littered several businesses along Madison Road.

At the Sunny Mart, the business was closed due to so much damage.

Vandals broke the glass and cut the fence to steal clothing from Deveroes.

Up the street at "Just Saab East", glass workers were called in Thursday to fix the shattered door. Management plans to move all of the cars Thursday night to prevent further vandalism.

Richard Strole put himself at risk early Thursday morning when he arrived to check on damage at his Plunkett's garage.

"Finally everything started busting loose, there was a van running around dropping off people they were throwing stuff, throwing rocks, they threw rocks at us over here," Strole told 9 News.

In Walnut Hills the entire block known as People's Corner was boarded up. Almost every business was damaged.