Vandals ransack Pikeville fruit stand
By Rochelle Moore and Melody Brown-Peyton
Published in News on August 24, 2018 5:50 AM
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Vandals scattered produce, opened jars and flipped them upside down on countertops and busted watermelons.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Samantha Creech, 8, and her cousin Roxie Creech restock produce Wednesday morning as they help their family recover after vandals trashed the Country Fruit Stand No. 3 overnight. The family began cleaning around 8 a.m. The stand re-opened a few hours later.
The Country Fruit Stand in Pikeville was vandalized late Tuesday or early Wednesday but customers and supporters from across Wayne County have stepped up by offering help and financial contributions.
Co-owner Mickey Phillips received a phone call at 7 a.m. Wednesday from Pikeville Police Chief Craig Edwins who told Phillips the open-air fruit stand, which is not closed off in the evening, was vandalized.
Tomatoes, grapes and peaches were scattered across floors, jars were opened and flipped upside down on countertops, watermelons were busted, and an air-conditioned storage unit was unplugged and fruit was thrown into the office area.
"We work hard, and to have the place vandalized is upsetting," Phillips said.
The owners estimate that the vandalism took place some time between 11 p.m. Tuesday and 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to information posted on the business Facebook page. The estimated financial loss is $2,000, as well as additional expenses to clean the fruit stand before it could be re-opened to the public Wednesday.
"We had to open up three hours later because of the cleanup that had to be done," Phillips said. He said that he just does not understand why his family business of 26 years would be vandalized.
After the stand was ransacked, customers started stopping by, offering help and providing donations. Karen Phillips said Thursday evening customers had already donated $320 to help the family, which suffered financial loss from the damage. Phillips' daughter-in-law Ashley Jordan Phillips also started a GoFundMe page, Benefit for Country Fruit Stand #3.
"They put everything they have into this business, and to see it so selfishly destroyed by someone is heartbreaking," Ashley Phillips wrote on her personal Facebook page. "Let's rally together and help them as much as we can."
She said she created the GoFundMe site after people asked how they could help. Within the first 21 hours, after the site was created, $225 had been donated to the cause.
People who stopped by the stand, located at 4780 U.S. 117 in the northern Wayne County town, were also shocked that the stand was targeted by one or more vandals.
"I have been coming here for the past 12 years and cannot believe that someone would vandalize the place," said Jean Jones.
Devon Ward, a customer for the past 15 years, also had a difficult time understanding what happened.
"I come here twice a week this time of the year, and I just cannot believe that someone would have so much hatred in their heart," Ward said.
"People just don't care anymore."
No one has been arrested for the incident, as of Thursday night, Karen Phillips said. The Phillipses have asked anyone who may have seen the vandalism take place or any other information related to the incident to contact them or local law enforcement.