Vandals Smash Police Car

A chair thrown from the Holyoke Center Arcade shattered the rear window of a Harvard police cruiser at 7 p.m. last night, according to the University police.

Officer Robert Cooper said he was on break inside University Health Services (UHS) when he learned that a red chair from Au Bon Pain was resting in his rear windshield.

'Car Won't Start'

"The chair must have been thrown off of the ramp," said Cooper, pointing to the bridge overlooking the UHS driveway. "The car won't start, either."

In addition to the damage caused by the chair, three wads of gum were stuck to the roof of the cruiser. Two Au Bon Pain cups were lying near the tires.

"[The vandals] spit gum on the roof and saw no one was in the cruiser," Cooper said. "They must have run backand gotten the chair, thrown it and ran like abastard."

Mark Martin, the UHS security guard on duty,said he did not see the culprits.

"I only make three rounds a night," Martinsaid. "I came back from my first round just afterthis happened. Usually I stand very close to wherethe police car was parked."

The manager of Au Bon Pain, Valerie Cole, saidshe did not notice anyone leaving the store with ared chair.

And Vladmir Horak, a Holyoke Center parking lotsecurity guard who monitors the area byvideocamera, said he did not notice the vandalseither.

"I don't watch the screen all the time," Horaksaid. "I was reading the paper when it happened.The radio was on, and people are always coming inand talking."

But the security guard's videorecorder capturedimages of the suspects, according to police.

"We'll give [the tape] to our CriminalInvestigation Division and see what they can do,"said Harvard police Sgt. William Donaldson.

Early police reports listed four white males,13 to 15 years of age, as possible suspects. TheHolyoke Center videocamera recorded the suspectswalking back and forth on the ramp overlooking thecar.

Officials said the temporary loss of a patrolcar would not seriously cripple the Harvard policeforce, which has a total of 15 cruisers

Mark Martin, the UHS security guard on duty,said he did not see the culprits.

"I only make three rounds a night," Martinsaid. "I came back from my first round just afterthis happened. Usually I stand very close to wherethe police car was parked."

The manager of Au Bon Pain, Valerie Cole, saidshe did not notice anyone leaving the store with ared chair.

And Vladmir Horak, a Holyoke Center parking lotsecurity guard who monitors the area byvideocamera, said he did not notice the vandalseither.

"I don't watch the screen all the time," Horaksaid. "I was reading the paper when it happened.The radio was on, and people are always coming inand talking."

But the security guard's videorecorder capturedimages of the suspects, according to police.

"We'll give [the tape] to our CriminalInvestigation Division and see what they can do,"said Harvard police Sgt. William Donaldson.

Early police reports listed four white males,13 to 15 years of age, as possible suspects. TheHolyoke Center videocamera recorded the suspectswalking back and forth on the ramp overlooking thecar.

Officials said the temporary loss of a patrolcar would not seriously cripple the Harvard policeforce, which has a total of 15 cruisers