"The Window War" Begins (?)

From a reader:

Man throws brick through City Hall, police HQ windows
CBS 42 Reporter: Gregg Watson
Email: gewatson@keyetv.com
Last Update: 7/28 6:28 pm

Austin police say a man tossed a rock through the window of police headquarters after he hit Austin City Hall with a big rock minutes earlier.

The suspect is described as white, in his 30s and with a beard. Police say first a security guard on duty saw the man smash the glass and sprint down Cesar Chavez.

Then 14 minutes later police say the scruffy suspect was captured committing a crime on camera outside police headquarters. On video the suspect is seen shattering the glass and taking off.

The glass at City Hall has been replaced but some are upset city hall was targeted with this misdemeanor madness.

“It’s pretty upsetting. I would have to wonder why someone would do something like that," says Austin lawyer Nikelle Meade. "It’s a beautiful building. It’s a safety issue they could have really hurt somebody.”

“There's no evidence to show he was trying to commit a burglary. He didn’t stay. He didn’t try to pull the windows open or anything like that," says APD spokesman Scott Perry. "He walks up throws the rock turns around and runs off.”

He also created a problem for the cash-strapped city that now has to replace all the broken glass.

“It’s about $500 for the window here at city hall. We don’t know the cost estimate for the one that was broken at APD yet," says Austin building service officer Jill Maness. "It’s a bit of an inconvenience the glass has to ordered, it’s a double pane safety glass. We’ve made a temporary Plexiglas replacement.”

Police haven’t added any officers to their patrol but say they will patrol city owned buildings more often.

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