‘We’ve had enough’ - Tattoo studio owner loses sleep as shopfront repeatedly targeted by vandals

Vandals have repeatedly targeted a tattoo parlour in Southsea by damaging the shopfront and daubing it with obscenities.
By Joe Buncle
Published 28th Jan 2023, 06:00 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Kerry Hutton owns Chilli Tattoo on Albert Road with her partner Michael Hassanyeh and said the attacks have been happening roughly every four weeks for over seven months. The most recent incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday, January 24 during which white paint was spread over the outside of the premises.

Kerry said: ‘It’s affecting all of us. It’s not nice for anybody to see, let alone us having to work in it. It’s bringing us down so much - we’re not sleeping because of it. It's too much for all of us to be coping with, it's not fair. It's making the whole street look absolutely terrible.’

NOW READ: Former First Sea Lord lambasts government defence spending cutbacks

The shopfront has been repeatedly vandalised over a seven month period.The shopfront has been repeatedly vandalised over a seven month period.
The shopfront has been repeatedly vandalised over a seven month period.

SEE ALSO: James Bond actress Eva Green lambasts Hampshire in court trial

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Also damaged was a metal panel which provided a place for local people to contribute street art to the shopfront but has been snapped in half. CCTV footage shows a young man wearing a face covering painting the shopfront with a paint roller and Kerry is appealing for information about the perpetrator.

She also claims that cooking fat has been thrown over the shopfront which she said posed a risk to passersby who could have slipped and fallen. She also said that the repeated nature of the damage has been disheartening as each time they redecorate, the same thing happens.

Kerry added: ‘Michael always makes sure the shop looks really nice with handmade paintings that he’s actually done himself and took hours to do. They’ve graffitied them with gloss paint, they’ve broken the artwork, they’ve stolen some of the artwork.

The shopfront was also covered with what appeared to be cooking grease.The shopfront was also covered with what appeared to be cooking grease.
The shopfront was also covered with what appeared to be cooking grease.

‘This is the third time now that they've actually painted all over with vile stuff. We’ve had enough. This has got to stop.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speaking of a previous incident in the slew of targeted damage, a Hampshire and Isle of Wight spokesperson said:

‘We received a report at 9am on December 17 of criminal damage at Chilli Tattoo on Albert Road. It was reported that a billboard had been damaged and two signs were stolen. All reasonable lines of enquiry have been completed and the case has been filed.’