A total of 38 counts of malicious mischief have been reported on three nights in Vicksburg over the past two weeks.

Police Chief Walter Armstrong is working to find those responsible for shooting vehicle and business windows with bb or pellet guns on several streets in town. Now Armstrong is asking for help from the community.

“We’re just reaching out to the entire community trying to bring closure to the vandalism that has happened across this city,” Armstrong said.

He is calling for anyone with video surveillance footage between the hours of 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. on the nights of Jan. 5 and Jan. 6 or Jan. 15 and Jan. 16 on the streets that have seen vandalism to contact the Vicksburg Police Department.

“I think it’s very shameful and disgraceful that someone will use a bb gun, a pellet gun and go out and destroy someone else’s property,” Armstrong said. “We have had a lot of success in solving various crimes in this community, and we don’t want this crime to go unsolved and we don’t want those individuals to go unpunished for their act.”

Streets that saw property damage include Avenue D, Sherwood Drive, Short Cherry Street, Alcorn Drive and Cossar Court, Armstrong said in a press release.

Twenty reports came in Saturday morning from Azalea Lane, Lightcap Boulevard, Bering Street, Enchanted Drive, Starlight Drive and Elizabeth Circle, Vicksburg police Capt. Sandra Williams said.

Two weeks ago, two nights of malicious mischief with pellet guns and vehicle windows were reported with a total of 18 complaints.

Windows of vehicles parked on Short, Oak, Laurel and Drummond streets in Vicksburg appeared to have been shot out the night of Tuesday, Jan. 5, Williams said. The night of Jan. 6 more windows were busted on Ethel Street, Arcadia Place and Parkside and Long Meadow drives, including two reports at businesses on South Frontage Road, Williams said.

Armstrong encouraged parents to be vigilant in knowing where their children go at night and know how, when and where they are using bb and pellet guns.

“For the most part, a child go out with a bb gun, a pellet gun after dark, they’re probably up to no good,” Armstrong said. “That’s not something you utilize after dark.”

Those with footage are asked to review it and report anything suspicious, or they can call officers to retrieve and view the recordings.

“If they see anything, give us a call and we’ll come by and take another look at it. Or record it for us and we’ll come by and pick it up. We’ll bring them a thumb drive, a DVD, whatever they need to download it for us,” Armstrong said.

To report information or to give officers video, call the Vicksburg Police Department at 601-801-5304.

If you know the culprit, call Central Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 601-355-8477 or 866-481-8477. Crime Stoppers will pay a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of a felony suspect. Callers remain anonymous and do not have to testify in court.