Police are looking for the vandals that have used the cover of darkness over the past two months to break windows at businesses in the community, primarily on Santiam Highway and Old Salem Road.

Police do not have a precise window count as some business owners do not report such incidents, saying they do not think anything can be done to find the perpetrators.

Albany police Capt. Eric Carter and Linn County Sheriff First Sgt. Jim Yon know about the vandalism. Both officers urge business owners to report any broken windows so the agencies can add extra patrols as well as have a better idea of where the culprits are operating.

"If the vandalism is confined to one area, more likely than not the people either live or work in that area," Yon said.

Geoff Davis, the general manager of Davis Glass Co., said he easily has done nearly $10,000 worth of repairs in the past four to five weeks.

"It's been crazy and it's been pretty random," he said. "Some of the businesses have been hit more than once."

The Progressive Software Solutions building at 3939 Old Salem Road N.E. had four windows broken, said Jeff Schloss, an engineer with the firm. Three were broken on one night and a fourth on another night. The vandals used ball bearings probably launched with a slingshot, he said.

Professional Mechanical Inc., 6435 Old Salem Road N.E., had a front door window and a window on the side of the building broken.

Another large building on Old Salem Road has been hit four times, but the general manager did not want his company's name mentioned for fear of reprisal.

"It's not cheap to replace these windows," he said.

At 2075 Santiam Highway S.E., the Labor Ready business had its front window destroyed, said Chrissy Currence, operations specialist.

"Someone kicked it with their foot," she said. "The repair cost about $300."

At 2850 Santiam Highway S.E., someone broke a front window at Discount Cigarettes.

"The parking lot cleaner drove by and saw it," said owner Amie Vrell. "The front window was shattered into a bazillion pieces. We have no idea how it happened, and we still are finding glass."

The repair bill was about $300.

The Original Breakfast building at 3225 Santiam Highway S.E. also had windows broken.

Even a glass company has been victimized.

Smith Glass Service at 133 Lyon St. N. had two large windows shot out one night and two others were destroyed on another night, said bookkeeper Michelle Penning.

"A rock 4 to 5 inches in diameter broke one of the windows," she said. "It landed on a glass table and broke that."

Anyone with information about the vandalism in Albany can call the police department at 917-7680, and those with information about incidents in the county can call 967-3950.

By Cathy Ingalls, Albany Democrat-Herald