A slice from a butter knife may have caused a local laundromat up to $40,000 in damages.
Skyline Laundry, located in the Taylor Plaza Shopping Center, had to temporarily close down due to safety concerns after its air conditioning units went out. In total, the laundromat was closed for what amounts to over two working days.
First reported by employees Aug. 19, the laundromat was without air conditioning until the evening of Aug. 23.
Law enforcement believes the damages to the laundromat’s three air conditioning units was an act of vandalism. Joseph Branson, Taylor Police Department’s support services commander, says the way the damages looked led investigators to believe that it was an intentional act.
“This was not natural,” Branson said. “This is not a tree falling or wind damage or anything like that. It looks like someone took a butter knife and kind of stabbed the outside.”
A butter knife was found on the roof when the investigation began. Police said they have leads on who may have caused the damages, but it is still an open investigation.
Audrey Young, Skyline Laundry’s manager, said each of the three air conditioning units affected will have to eventually be replaced.
“I think somebody had a bad day and went crazy on our units,” Young said. “Whoever did it, did damage. They might not have thought it was that much damage or something, but it has cost us a lot.”
Young said she doesn’t know why someone would intentionally damage the units but said the laundromat did receive some complaints from individuals believed to be homeless after the business put up a sign prohibiting loitering.
Skyline Laundry recently received a letter from someone who was upset about the sign. The letter included profanity and was written by hand. While the letter arrived around the same time workers noticed the air conditioning damage, a timetable for the actual vandalizing has not been set due to lack of cameras.
Young said she cannot say whether the air conditioning was damaged from someone retaliating against the sign.
Skyline Laundry does not believe neighboring businesses were affected by the vandalism.
Police ask that anyone with information call Sergeant Mike Culp at 512-352-5551.
