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Vandalism
reported at Elkhart business
[MAY
31, 2000] The
Elkhart crime-stopping unit is offering a $200 reward for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of those
responsible for the recent vandalism to Miss Jessie’s Art and
Frame Gallery, 103 Gov Oglesby in Elkhart. Miss Jessie’s was
vandalized on the evening of Monday, May 29. Rocks were thrown
through the double-pane windows, damaging a limited edition print
and frame and destroying the entire front window of the gallery.
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Miss
Jessie’s is owned by James and Gillette Ransom of Elkhart. The
store was opened in 1991 by the Ransoms after their restoration of
the 100-year-old building which houses the gallery. The gallery
contains art for sale and framing services.
The
Ransoms opened the gallery in Elkhart promoting history and
returning to Gillette’s historic family roots. The store was
named after her Great-Aunt Jessie, who is very much part of the
history of Elkhart.
The
Ransoms arrived Tuesday morning to find shattered glass all over
the front room of the gallery. Further inspection of the minimum
$1500 in damage revealed at least six different points of impact
in the glass and the glass frame from the outside. More than half
a dozen rocks were found in the gallery and others out in the
street. The glass not only reached into the front part of the
gallery but all the way behind the counter.
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column)
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The
Ransoms say it is amazing that the windows were actually broken. They
are double-paned glass with special protective coating, preventing
ultraviolet light from ruining anything in the gallery. The breaking
of this kind of glass would be comparable to the sound of a rifle, but
surprisingly no one either next door or across the street woke up to
the sound. Miss Jessie’s will keep regular hours despite this event.
The
art store was not the only place damaged. A spot in Broadwell and a
spot by Elkhart Christian Church were also found vandalized. The
Elkhart police have no leads at this time.
If
you have any information on the vandals or events surrounding these
vandalisms, please contact the Elkhart police at (217) 732-4159.
[Rachael
Shelley]
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