Wooden cutouts placed in front of one of the newest murals along Route 66 in Barstow, California, were vandalized last week.
According to the Desert Dispatch newspaper:
The mural is painted on the eastside portion of the Barstow Office Supply building owned by Fred and Sandy Baca, located at 613 E. Main St. It features painted wooden figures of notable celebrities who have passed through Barstow along Route 66. Sandy Baca said she noticed the mural had been damaged while driving home from church on June 26.
“My heart was broken to see that,” Baca said. “This was a real treasure on our store. This town really has to be beautified and this mural is one of those things that helped do just that. We need more kinds of things like this in Barstow because we care deeply about this town.”
Here’s what the cutouts looked like before the damage:
Police made no arrests. Security precautions now will be taken to prevent something like this from happening again.
This incident hasn’t discouraged Main Street Murals, which says it plans two more murals in Barstow. More than a dozen murals exist in the downtown area, depicting scenes from Route 66 or Southern California’s history.
(Images of the affected mural by Wayne Hutchens via Facebook)
Those who don’t have much don’t want anyone else to have much. These vandals, should they be caught, should be required to replace the five heads and the three full figures that they destroyed. Little thugs!!!!
So, so sad.
When caught, these criminals should be given time in jail and made to pay for the cost to replace and repair this beautiful mural. Don’t understand what pleasure these hoodlums get from such actions. Disgusting!