Windows smashed in hammer attack

A 31-YEAR-OLD woman was arrested after several Omagh businesses had their shop windows smashed with a hammer, during a spree of destruction on Thursday evening.

Three business owners, all with premises located near the mouth of Foundry Lane, received calls around 11pm informing them that they had become the unfortunate victims of this attack.

Two of the businesses – a hair salon and a sports shop – suffered extensive damage, with virtually every pane of glass in each of the shops being subjected to the full force of the perpetrator’s hammer.

Speaking with the TyroneHerald, owner of Hygge hair salon, Chloe Ewing, said the news was ‘devastating’.

“I got a call and came straight here to find that 12 of the shop windows had been smashed, leaving glass strewn across the salon floor.”

Ms Ewing, a younger business owner, has been in the premises for two years. She said it was ‘painful’ to see the damage when she arrived at the scene that night.

“I’ve worked hard to make the salon a space where my customers feel comfortable and relaxed, and to see it littered with shards of glass was painful.”

She then explained what she learned about the incident from looking over the CCTV footage.

“In the CCTV you could see a woman slamming a hammer through the window of Lakeland Sports, before taking off running after a car,” said Ms Ewing

“Then, after realising they were not going to catch the car and walking back towards Lakeland, the attacker took into my windows.”

Catherine Taggart, the owner of the aforementioned sport shop, said she was “horrified” by the extent of the damage. “We got a call to tell us that somebody had smashed our windows – we went down expecting a few cracks,” she remarked.

But when Mrs Taggart and her husband arrived, both the large shop front windows had been completely destroyed. All that remained were empty frames and a carpet of shattered glass.

“We started cleaning immediately and did not get out of the shop until three in the morning,” she continued. “In all our time (in business), we have never experienced anything like this.”

The PSNI, commenting on the incident, said, “We received a report that a female was smashing windows in the Foundry Lane area just after 11.05pm.”

Sergeant Hamill continued, “Officers attended the scene and noted damage to two commercial premises. A 31-year-old female was arrested on suspicion of the possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and two counts of criminal damage”.

The woman was later released on bail pending further enquiries. Police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact 101 quoting reference 2044 01/09/22. A report can also be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.