Original article and broadcast by local NBC affiliate, NBC-17, 6/22/08
By: Chris Cowperthwaite, NBC-17 Cary Reporter
CARRBORO, N.C. - Vandals are targeting people trying to do something good in Carrboro.
Organizers of a community bike repair workshop called the Recyclery say they want to find out who's been wrecking their site.
Chris Richmond, director of the Recyclery , said that he doesn't want the vandals punished; he wants to meet them, and include them in the Recyclery community.
Ideally, he'd even invite them to do a mural on the side of the building.
"We could use their help painting a building rather than just randomly tagging," said Richmond.
He and a handful of volunteers oversee a mini mountain of bicycle parts, and use it to help people learn all about bike maintenance.
"Our basic idea is that if a bike is in better working order, it's going to be ridden more often," said director Chris Richmond.
Help out long enough, and folks can even build a bike of your own to keep.
"Before, when I came in here I didn't know anything about bicycles, but now I know a lot," said teenager Erik Heaney. "I know what I'm doing."
The program costs nothing: just a little time helping others.
"We take this shop, condense it into a few trailers, and ride out into neighborhoods and work with kids on their bikes," said Richmond.
Lately though, volunteers have been cleaning up the shop more than the bikes. Someone has been vandalizing the place when nobody's around.
"It's not so much anger or frustration, it's just confusion," said Heaney. "I don't understand why people would come and do that."
From graffiti tags to out-right stealing, it's an ongoing problem.
"They're obviously interested in the machine as transportation -- they're taking them," said Richmond. "The question is, are they willing to help out?"
If they're willing to make good on his offer, maybe they could build a bike of their own.
Aside from the graffiti, the vandals have scattered tools, broken a solar-power energy system valued at $1,000 and stolen eight U-locks.
Richmond says police are keeping a closer eye on the site, and will be on the lookout for ne'er-do-wells.
[for video and photos, please visit NBC-17's website to see the official release, Vandals Destroying, Stealing Community Group's Property.]
