Vancouver, WA — “I don’t know if they’re related, but it’s sure irritating,” Judy Askelson, an office manager, said Wednesday after walking into the Vancouver Farmers Market’s trashed headquarters inside the Slocum House Theatre.

The late-Tuesday, early Wednesday vandalism marked the third time the farmers market has been targeted since the season kicked off last month.

“They kicked in the office door and trashed it. I mean all the bookcases were turned over, everything on the floor,” said Askelson, who discovered the damage when she arrived to work at about 9 a.m. “They stole the safe and a cash box. That was about $250.”

On the morning of the market’s March 21 opening, Askelson and other staff members discovered a flat tire on their truck with a missing valve stem. It had been cut off, and it happened again a few days later.

“We put up video surveillance in the trailer and we haven’t had any problems since then,” Askelson said.

She said it appeared a window pane was broken on the front door of Slocum House, allowing vandals to unlock the door. The farmer’s market office was door was kicked in, she said.

Askelson added that few other doors had been kicked in, but nothing else appeared to have been taken.

The vandalism – irritating as it may be – hasn’t dampened organizers enthusiasm over a strong start to the market’s 20th season, characterized by an increase in vendors and an earlier than usual expansion to Sixth Street.

Askelson said the crimes have been reported to police.

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