Owner of Glass Repair Shop Named Person of Interest Following Months-Long Vandalism Spree

A months-long vandalism spree in Citrus Heights, Calif., that resulted in dozens of shattered windows and hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages might be over, says the Citrus Heights police department.

The crime spree spanned months and threatened Citrus Heights business owners’ livelihoods as individuals shattered windows repeatedly throughout multiple county jurisdictions.

Following a multi-agency investigation, Citrus Heights police identified Philip Archuleta, owner of Brothers Doors and Glass, which provides glass service, repairs and installments, as a person of interest.

Archuleta was booked Thursday into Placer County Jail where he was being held without bail on unrelated child endangerment and weapons allegations. Citrus Heights police say that they anticipate adding felony charges related to the vandalism series and add that Archuleta was running his business without a contractor’s license. 

“Many of the business victims suffered extensive losses totaling thousands of dollars to repair their large glass windows,” Citrus Heights police commander Jason Russo said in a statement this past Friday announcing Archuleta’s arrest.

In addition to the crimes, media reports indicate that Archuleta’s company was also involved in the repairs of some of the smashed windows.

“It’s just bad, just bad business because I can’t imagine people making business on the suffering of other people,” Ed Zargarian, general manager of A-Tek Glass Center of Sacramento, which is replacing the windows at one of the targeted restaurants, Fukumi Ramen, told CBS Sacramento. “And not just once or twice, but three times, according to the business owner. That’s pretty low.”

Sylbi Song, the owner of Fukumi Ramen, said that the restaurant was last targeted just two weeks ago.

“It is hurting a lot of local businesses; it’s not pleasant,” Song said.

Local media reports state that other businesses in the area have reported smashed windows, including a Mountain Mike’s location. Surveillance video shows vandals smashing 31 windows and three doors back in May. Earlier in the year, the same pizza parlor saw two men smash half a dozen windows.

Citrus Heights police say that the overall damage from the spree adds up to more than $500,000.

Reports state that detectives from the Citrus Heights and the Sacramento police departments served simultaneous search warrants on Archuleta. He was then arrested for unrelated crimes, including possession of a stolen assault weapon and child endangerment.