Several businesses in downtown Gastonia vandalized early Sunday morning
Gastonia Police arrested 46-year-old James Earl Weaver Sunday after the unhoused man allegedly caused hundreds of dollars in damage to several businesses on West Main Avenue.
The vandalism has business owners downtown questioning how to move forward with safety concerns.
Jim LaBrec, owner of DTEL, a digital technology company located at 251 W. Main Ave., was notified of an attempt to enter his building around 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
LaBrec says he would come to find out that his business was not the only one to receive a security alert that morning.
After arriving at their buildings, business owners along West Main Avenue from York Street to South South Street found utility damages like gas pipes ripped apart and leaking, electrical wires torn, security cameras ripped down, and more, according to LaBrec.
Gastonia Police took statements from several businesses.
Pita Wheel, DTEL, and Stewart and McSpadden Law Firm, have all formally reported hundreds each in damage.
LaBrec’s building along with a few others did not have access to gas Sunday and Monday while repairs were made, he said.
Weaver was arrested on sight Sunday afternoon at 1:25 p.m. after officers saw him walking on Broad Street and identified him as the man shown in surveillance footage from the crime scenes, according to police reports.
He is currently in custody being held on a $100,000 bond, and does not yet have a court date at the time of writing.
Some businesses are still assessing damages and working with police, but according to Mary Elliott, spokeswoman for the Gastonia Police Department, Weaver could be facing more than six counts of property damage.
“Part of it’s just an incident that was scary,” LaBrec said. “The other part… was just concern for safety as we attract more business here.”
According to LaBrec the affected businesses convened Sunday to discuss the possible impacts of incidents like these on the safety of Gastonia residents moving into apartment buildings that are being constructed downtown.
“There’s been an increase in traffic for multiple reasons in the exact same area we’re trying to clean up and make safer.” LaBrec said. “So, it’s going to need some good cooperation and collaboration from the public-private partnership to help accomplish the goals we’re trying to achieve as far as attracting people, keeping it safe, and those who are disadvantaged to have a place to go.”
LaBrec says he is working with Chris Koltyk, Gastonia’s chief information officer, to develop a more thorough surveillance system downtown, which he hopes will include rooftop surveillance cameras on most businesses.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Several businesses in downtown Gastonia vandalized
