FAIRBORN — Police have not yet identified or captured three individuals who broke into and vandalized The Fairborn Phoenix theater. The incident occurred just days before the venue’s first show of the season.
The break-in, which was captured on surveillance video Saturday morning, resulted in the theft of beer and alcohol. Founders of the vintage theater are now cleaning up the damage while continuing preparations for a punk rock concert scheduled for this Saturday.
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Surveillance video captured three hooded individuals attempting to enter the theater. The footage shows the group looking around the ticket booth and pulling on the front door before eventually gaining access through a back door.
Once inside, the group created a mess in the lobby, messed with the showroom lights, and pushed a cash register off a shelf.
Jordan Terrell serves as the co-founder of The Fairborn Phoenix. He said the building currently contains significant amounts of equipment as the staff prepares for upcoming events.
“We have a lot of stuff going on in here. We have equipment in here. And you know, they stole some of our beer, they stole some of our alcohol,” Terrell said.
The theater has been undergoing renovations since 2019. Terrell and his partner have been working to transform the vintage building into a community hub.
The co-founder expressed frustration that the vandalism occurred just as the new season was beginning.“Literally a week right before our first show of the year. So, it’s like, c’mon. Just give us some slack,” Terrell said.
The theater faced a similar incident two years ago when two teenagers broke into the ticket booth. At that time, Terrell opted for a restorative approach rather than pursuing criminal charges against the youths.“
This happened before, and you know, and the kids were very responsive. You know. We actually took him in, and they started volunteering,” Terrell said.
The theater’s first show of the year, a punk rock concert, remains scheduled for this Saturday. Terrell encouraged community members to support the venue’s renovations by attending the event.
“Come to the show. Don’t break in. Come Saturday,” Terrell said.
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