Vandals target campus buildings

UNM police were greeted early Wednesday morning by broken windows and trash cans that were lit on fire.

Vandalism was reported to UNMPD from Scholes Hall, Castetter Hall, the Biology Annex, UNM Continuing Education and the Hibben Center.

UNMPD was dispatched to Castetter Hall at about 5:30 in reference to seven broken windows in the building's greenhouse and lobby.

According to the police report, the damage appeared to be made with blunt objects, but other than the windows, there was no further damage to any other property within the building.

Erik Loker, chairman of the Biology Department said shards of glass were sprayed over the plants in the greenhouse. He said from now on, they are going to have to be extremely careful when tending to the plants.

The report also stated that a 40-ounce bottle of Budweiser was found at Castetter Hall where the damage occurred.

Glass on Wheels, the company contracted by UNM to replace windows, received calls regarding the damage early Wednesday morning.

Ben Sigala, manager, said the company is replacing 10 windows within the Biology Department, which includes Castetter Hall and the Biology Annex. Another two windows will be replaced at Continuing Education and two more at the Hibben Center.

"There are so many that we just have to board them up and secure them for tomorrow," Sigala said.

He estimated the damage at $3,000.

Barbara Aragon, a custodian with the Physical Plant, was putting up caution tape Wednesday in front of the Hibben Center and said she had just walked up that morning to find glass scattered.

She said she had also found pieces of a Southern Comfort bottle outside the building and a rock inside. The two-year old building has double pane windows, which Aragon said are hard to break.

"I guess they weren't satisfied that it didn't break, so they went and got a rock from landscaping," Aragon said.

Without any suspects, Daniels said he didn't want to make any speculations, but said that UNMPD is investigating the incidents.