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Man upset over mask mandate suspected of wearing mask to vandalize Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Posted at 5:51 PM, Nov 16, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-16 17:52:39-05

ALLEN PARK (WXYZ) — When workers inside the Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Southfield Road in Allen Park ask any customers who come in without a mask to please wear one, they usually go back outside, get one from their vehicle and return to place their order.

But then there was one man in early August who made sure store workers knew what he thought of the mask mandate.

"He began to act irate and started pacing back and forth," said the store's General Manager, Calvin Harris, who added that the man eventually left the store and tried to pull a sign down on his way out.

A few days later, the vandalism started.

Store surveillance videos show a man, on separate occasions, pouring paint at the back door of the store.

Photos of the vandalism show the front door was also vandalized with spray paint.

Surveillance of Allen Park vandalism

Some of the paint is sprayed right on the sign that reads: "Attention guests. Please wear a face mask."

"When he threw the paint on the back door, he also threw paint on the mask which is on the front of the door," Harris said. "So, that kind of gave me the indication that it might have been the gentleman we asked to leave the location."

Harris, who has lost loved ones to COVID-19, is hoping someone will recognize the vandal and contact Allen Park Police.