Damage done: Sydney bridal business recovering from weekend vandalism; man charged

A small bridal business in Sydney, N.S., was the victim of vandalism over the Labour Day long weekend.

Brittany Woodworth, the owner of Timeless Moments, received the call early Monday morning.

“It was way more extensive than I thought," said Woodworth. "We have big, double-pane windows and they were smashed. We have four mannequins and they were broken. He took the dresses right off the mannequins.”

On Tuesday, the window was boarded up and the cleanup was finished, but the bill will be extensive.

Woodworth says initial quotes are around $5,000.

“It's tough, and it's been a rough couple of years. I think everyone is trying to make the best of the situation with business," said Woodworth. "We have construction going on that's limited foot traffic, so when you get more damage on top of that, it's just that moment was so deflating."

Michelle Wilson, the executive director at the Sydney Downtown Development Association, called the destruction "unsettling."

“It's ironic because when I owned Timeless Moments myself, I had a similar thing happen,” she said.

Wilson says vandalism has been on the rise recently in the city’s core.

“I generally like to focus on positive things happening. But we've had a few businesses, maybe not the theft part, but having their windows broken,” said Wilson.

Woodworth says a positive side of the situation has been the support from the community.

“I always knew we had a lot of support, but to see so many people selflessly reaching out, it's really overwhelming,” she said.

Cape Breton Regional Police have charged 36-year-old Randy Travis Alexman, of Eskasoni, for break and enter and possession of property obtained by crime.

Police say they were called to Timeless Moments around 1 a.m. on Monday by a person who heard a "smash" and saw a man trying to get into the business through a broken window.

According to police, the witness saw the man run away towards Dorchester and George Streets carrying a large piece of clothing.

Officers later arrested a man matching the suspect's description after police say he was seen walking near Yorke Street, carrying a backpack with a white dress in it.

According to police, Woodworth told officers a total of three dresses, worth several thousand dollars had been stolen.

After searching the area, police were able to find the two other dresses stashed in a building on Dorchester Street.