Truck used in city vandalism revealed

The Dexter Police Department is asking for the public's help as they continue to investigate a rash of recent vandalism in the city.

According to Det. Cory Mills of the local department, more than $7,000 in property damage to businesses and vehicles has occurred over the past several weeks, with 10 instances discovered early Saturday morning, Oct. 12, and more continuing as recent as Thursday when two vehicles on S. Sassafras Street were found to have windows broken out.

Police have acquired surveillance video from a downtown business which reveals a white GMC Z71 crew cab pickup -- by all indications a late 1990s model -- traveling east on Stoddard Street in downtown Dexter just after 3 a.m. Saturday morning, Oct. 12. On the video, police witnessed a white male in the bed of the moving truck throwing a rock toward the front of a downtown storefront window. Damage to the glass of downtown businesses was discovered a few hours later as merchants began to open their shops. While the department is equipped with state of the art imaging capabilities, the image of the truck's license plate is not legible.

"The incidents are most likely occurring between the hours of midnight and 3:30 in the morning," Mills says. "The areas being targeted are the north, Cottonbelt, and downtown sections of the city."

Most of the damage is to store front windows and to vehicle windows, Mills explains. "The damage is being done with smaller to medium size rocks thrown through the windows by the suspect(s)."

"We're asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the truck or its owner to please contact the Dexter Police Department," Mills urges.

Call 573-624-5512 with any information. All calls will remain anonymous upon the caller's request.