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Small businesses in downtown Ypsilanti have been devastated by a rash of vandalism
Video captured the theft and vandalism at Star Studios in Ypsilanti.
Ypsilanti, Mich. (Fox 2) – The video captures the theft and vandalism at Star Studios in Ypsilanti — one of the downtown businesses targeted in the rash of break-ins.
“Tuesday morning we all went to broken glass and broken hearts honestly,” said Angel Vanas. “The criminal[tried]to kick in the front door, but the front door was blocked by a hard-paned glass.”
So they tried the back door.
“And he broke that wide open and went in and grabbed the cash box,” Vanas said.
At least $1,200 was gone in minutes.
Vanas says her insurance policy doesn’t cover the property’s exterior structures because she doesn’t own the building.
So she had to pay $1,400.
“Both of my doors are full glass and I had to replace them,” she said.
And then there are the emotional scars that are so hard to recover from.
“We’ve been violated, our safe space has been violated,” she added.
Star Studios welcomes everyone as they are.
“No matter who you are, we love you, we welcome you and we want you to be comfortable in your own skin — and that’s the environment we provide here,” Vanas said.
But Star Studios wasn’t the only business damaged on Michigan Avenue, a restaurant had its glass door broken and another business called Ziggy’s was also damaged.
The owner of this music venue said she had to pay a thousand dollars to replace this door.
“It’s an extra expense that I didn’t expect and I’m like, ‘Who would do that,'” said Ziggy’s owner Kelan Ferraiu.
This small business community will suffer when the police investigate.
“First of all, it’s really frustrating to attack so many small businesses when we’re all living on a knife’s edge,” Vanas said.
Star Studios has started a GoFundMe for support and people are already responding. Click here to donate.
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