BELLE — Vandalism reported Sunday morning at the business of Grandma’s Attic on the corner of 4th Street and Alvarado Avenue resulted in Maries County Sheriff’s Department taking the report because Belle Marshal Joe Turnbough was unavailable.

Arlene White, owner of Grandma’s Attic, said she went to clean the snow off of her car Sunday morning, only to find the driver’s side window busted and rocks and mud daubs across the side and front windshield.

“It must have happened Saturday night,” White said, pointing out where circle patterns were etched deep in the gravel parking lot across the road. “There are holes and dirt all over the side of my building.”

Her theory is someone was driving in circles in the gravel lot and spun rocks at her car and the building.

“I think the city police have to be aware of this area and what goes on down here,” White said.

The public parking lot at the intersection of 4th Street and Alvarado Avenue, located next to the railroad tracks, has been a contentious topic in the past. Many neighboring businesses have complained about the noise and trash loiterers have left behind. White has had previous issues with vandalism. Recently Belle Mayor Josh Seaver banned local kids from the area.

White said the first thing she did was call emergency dispatch and request an officer. The marshal was the officer on duty Monday morning from 6 a.m. to noon.

“The dispatcher said they didn’t have anyone available to come until after dinner,” White said.

She called Maries County Sheriff’s Department and asked if the sheriff could help.

“He sent a deputy right over, and they took pictures of everything — my car, the building, the parking lot,” White said.

Deputy Dale Harp responded to the call and helped White file the report and contact her insurance agent. Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman said his department was told that Turnbough was the duty car at the time of the incident. White added that Turnbough stopped in at her business around 11:30 a.m. Monday morning to apologize.

“The marshal was at a family dinner,” White said. “I hate it for him because his family was in for Christmas, but I was upset.”

According to Seaver, who reached out Sunday afternoon to inquire about the incident, the marshal had family in for Christmas Saturday afternoon. However, due to the bad weather, many had to stay the night. Sunday morning, the marshal asked dispatch to hold all non-emergency calls until his officer came on duty at noon.

White said her insurance may pay for the car, but thought her deductible would be too high to fix the building.

“Whoever did it ought to be ashamed of themselves,” she said. “I’m a widow woman and look what it cost me. They knocked holes in the front of the building.”

She said in the past, vandals have knocked down her gutter, and run their bicycles so fast down the sidewalk that they have nearly run over her customers.

“This is the worst of them though, I guess,” she said.

The Advocate contacted Turnbough at 9:27 a.m. Tuesday and left a message to find out if there was any new information about the vandalism.