PLYMOUTH, Mich. (WXYZ) — Plymouth Police released video of vandalism to a painting that took place downtown in hopes of identifying those responsible.
"It's shocking to me because they're not kids. They're in their early twenties," said acclaimed artist Tony Roko about the vandals who were caught on surveillance video.
Roko, whose art is also featured in downtown Plymouth's ArtWalk, mentored the young artists behind the other paintings in the alley off Penniman Avenue that has been turned into an outdoor gallery of curated art.
Police said the two vandals were part of a group of five people, three men and two women, seen walking together in the early morning hours of July 23.
"It was like a switch flipped and the next thing you know, they were hyper-focused on breaking and damaging a work of art," Roko told 7 Action News.
At first, the men appear to be trying to see how the paintings were hung on the brick wall to remove it. Then one of the men can be seen kicking the painting until it comes off the wall and two of them carry it away.
The painting belongs to a teenage artist from Detroit named Juan who is with the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan.
Roko mentored Juan and other children in the art project that is aimed at inspiring them to create art.
"They're all under-served youth," said Roko. "Kids that might not otherwise get an opportunity to create and have the opportunity to exhibit them in a public art walk."
Community Financial is one of the sponsors of Plymouth ArtWalk.
"It's just pure sadness," said Community Financial President and CEO Tansley Stearns. "You think about the kids and how much they put into those pieces, how lovely they are, how vibrant they are. It's not what we want them to remember and we don't want our city to be experiencing that."
Plymouth Police said it appears two of the five people in the video are responsible for the vandalism but they are hoping for the public's help in identifying any of them as part of their investigation.
If you're able to assist detectives, please call Plymouth Police at (734) 453-1234 extension 258.
You can also email Det. Jonathan Hiemstra at jhiemstra@plymouthpolice.org.
