Clovis Tattoo shop broken into, owner warns community

CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – After getting his tattoo shop broken into, the owner of High Sierra Tattoo in Clovis has an important message to the community about safety.

Joshua Ray Farmer with the High Sierra Tattoo says he was in the gym when he got the news that the tattoo shop was broken into. He says his biggest fear was for the gear to be gone and for artist supplies to be messed with as that would make it difficult for them to provide for their families.

“When I got the news that we got broken into, my first thought was ‘Man if our gear is gone and we can’t make money, it’s our livelihood, if the girls’ stuff is messed with’ you know, I have a couple of female artists here, and they are raising their families too and they are working hard like me and everybody else,” said Joshua. “For that to be messed with, that’s what we need the most. Just our ability to provide for families.”

While the suspect did not take the gear, he believed it was obvious that he had an agenda. Joshua says the suspect was not looking around and searching, but that he just went and got what he wanted. The suspect not only took money but also tattoo machines with nostalgic value that he had been using for a long time.

Joshua says the machines stolen were used for his classes. He says his classes are a way to give the community something that he did not have when he was younger.

“It’s basically me building something that I wish I’d had when I was 18, I wanted to start out actually at 16, but you weren’t even allowed in shops at 16 yet, but I’ve tried, and there were no resources back them, before Google, before the Internet, really before, no things were available online, and I just wanted to create something that I wish I’ve had when I was that age, and we oftentimes get young people in here,” Joshua said.

He says this experience is a reminder to be safer, and although he knows this is the kind of thing that should be expected, his staff was still astonished because they give back to the community.

Joshua says he made a social media post about the incident right away because he was worried about other business owners going through the same thing. He says people reached out right away, and he appreciates the support and the positive response from the community.

“I feel spoiled,” he said.

Joshua encourages community members to do their diligence to avoid this situation from happening to them. He advises residents to enforce their doors and protect the things that are really valuable to them.

“You can’t be too arrogant thinking you can be too safe,” Joshua said.

He emphasizes the importance of safety in the community is huge. He says he sees his business as an extension of his family.

“It’s to have that position of you know you are providing and protecting, looking out for, and it works, and you don’t see the fear in their eyes, you see their concern, you see their trust, and seeing my team treats me that way, reminds me that I’m probably doing my job,” Joshua said.

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