By Paul Thompson
Northeast News

More than a dozen planters along Independence Avenue were destroyed in an early-morning vandalism spree on Saturday, October 21. Since then, the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District (CID) has identified as least one suspect involved with the incident.

The CID says that it’s been able to connect a white female to the vandalism, and CID chair Bobbi Baker-Hughes indicated on Thursday, October 26 that KCPD is investigating the crime. For now, the CID can only tie the suspect to the vandalism at the intersection of Elmwood and Independence Avenue.

“The Avenue Angels have had interactions with her in the past, and we only know for certain that the person did that particular crime in that particular location,” Baker-Hughes said.

Though the CID has cameras all along the corridor, Baker-Hughes said they were never intended to monitor the planters installed to beautify the Avenue.

“When PD assisted us in identifying locations for the cameras, it was never our intention to put them out to be watching our pots,” Baker-Hughes said. “Our cameras are great for our stores, but not so great for our pots.”

As for the vandal, Baker-Hughes said that she was well-known to the CID as someone with mental health issues.

“She spends a lot of time on the Avenue at unusual hours,” Baker-Hughes said. “She has been cited for trespassing on several properties.”

According to Baker-Hughes, the targeted planters were located primarily on the eastern end of Independence Avenue; the one outside of Eleos Coffee House was the westernmost planter that was destroyed.