Robbery and vandalism continue to plague businesses in Albuquerque.
Two businesses, in particular, were forced to deal with these crimes, according to KOB 4. Stuart St. Louis owns Cheeky Monkey Tattoo. He was alerted to a problem at his shop recently.
"I was at home holding my five-month-old daughter in one hand and eating a bagel in another hand," St. Louis said. "And my phone went off with ADT notifications saying that there was alarm entry happening."
St. Louis could see two people near his business, KOB 4 reported. One of them threw rocks at his window. The window did not break despite repeated attempts because St. Louis installed unbreakable windows after the first time his shop was vandalized.
"I worked with Mobile Screen and Glass about the problem that was happening," St. Louis said. "They are the ones that replaced my windows previously and they suggested that I get these windows that are unbreakable, and they've proven to be so."
Cheeky Monkey Tattoo has been targeted five times since it opened in February, according to KOB 4. St. Louis believes that two people are causing the continuous damage, which amounts to approximately $15,000 to $20,000 so far.
"It's absurd," he said. "I don't know who the coward is that is sending these goons to keep smashing my windows up, but they need to grow up and mind their own business. I'm not doing this to them. Nobody is doing it to them."
A business owner in northeast Albuquerque is dealing with vandalism as well, KOB 4 reported. Predator and Prey Exotics, a pet store on Central Avenue, was hit by a rock recently. A window and empty tank were destroyed, but no animals were injured.
"The damage to the window and the tank is going to be about $1,000," Dylan Mueller, owner of the store, said. "It's an unfortunate little hit for us, for sure ... It's very frustrating. Everybody's got their own little thing that they are trying to do to make a living and continue to work and have their livelihood. So, when someone comes in to mess that up, I think it would frustrate anybody."
Both business owners filed a report with the Albuquerque Police Department but have not yet received a response, according to KOB 4.