Apparently someone is trying to send a message to the owner of a brand new tattoo shop that opened in Ocean Beach a week ago.
The Southbay Blackwater Tattoo – which opened in the former site of the Black Bead at 5003 Newport Avenue – had an explosive taped to its front window early Saturday, which blew a hole in the front glass window. Then early Monday morning, somebody threw something through that same window.
Mike Kellerman is the owner of the new shop and he reports that right after he opened up he had a confrontation with another tattoo shop owner last week, who threatened him about opening the shop in the community.
Mike Kellerman. From his website.
The first incident of vandalism occurred early Saturday morning just after 4 a.m. – November 9. Surveillance video from inside the shop shows a male riding up on a skateboard, attaching something on the front window of the shop, igniting a stick and then takes off. It explodes and left a gaping a hole in the window.
Kellerman didn’t know his shop had been vandalized until he showed up to work Saturday morning. Then he checked footage of his vid camera and saw the images. Then later in the weekend, he looked at another section of the footage and saw two guys come up to the window hole, laugh and look through it.
He’s suspicious about these two who showed up after the explosion and are heard yelling something. These two are not suspects, but one was wearing USC hooded sweatshirt with Nike logo flips flops.
Then early Monday morning, November 11, someone threw something through the window. Kellerman was spending the night in the shop to ensure nothing would be stolen. He went out briefly to get something to eat and when he returned, there was a new hole in the glass window.
The new tattoo shop opened in the former Black Bead.
Naturally, San Diego police are looking for the original arsonist who blew the hole. Kellerman told the media that he doesn’t know if he is being targeted, but that others in the neighborhood have been supportive. He said, “We are going to catch this guy, or guys, whoever is involved.”
“It’s not just for me – it’s for Ocean Beach,” Kellerman said. “I’m here now. This is my business home so I’m going to look after the other businesses as well.
If you have any information on the incident, you are asked to call police.
Sources:
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Shame on whoever did/organized this. If it was a competing business, I hope they are arrested, sued, outed and run out of business via boycott. There is no room for this behavior here!
Here’s some follow-up from NBC7: “Kellerman has three decades of experience in the industry, and believes the vandalism may be part of a larger message.
“The whole brick through the window thing, you know, because you opened up on my block,” Kellerman explained. “Well its nobody’s block… It’s the city of San Diego’s block. I didn’t open up in the first place to try and be competition for somebody.”
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/OB-Tattoo-Shop-Owner-Thinks-Competition-Could-Be-Behind-Vandalism-Attacks-564788941.html
Sgt. Schultz Syndrome, it’s called you know?
Even Deputy Barney Fife could figure out who ordered and did this Shakedown
Ok, Deputy Voodoo Trucker Fife, who did it?
mmm lets think …including this new one there is 7 Tattoo shops in OB – 7!…there are 5 including the new on on Newport. so that leaves 4 possible tattoo competition suspects on Newps – is it the Hells Angels’ ACE tattoo? Is it the upscale Chapter One?…maybe its old employees of the Black getting vengeance??
I would assume none as it seems like ordinary OB vandalism – you know the kind that has persisted for the past few years…mainly because shoot – when was the last time SDPD even was on patrol in OB?
OBkid…it’s not like all the residents in OB welcome cops with open arms.
We reap what we sow.
Oh, I’d have to take great issue with that, Will. The residents of OB don’t have problem with cops. The problem is a slow response time and issues like that the individual police officers aren’t to blame for. The only people in OB who don’t care for cops are not OB residents.
I welcome cops with open arms. This kind of behavior needs to stop. Perhaps there needs to be another round up of the sea wall folk.