Police crack down on skateboarders at Hollister Farmers Market

The Hollister Farmers Market on San Benito Street is a big draw for the community every Wednesday night. But police said skateboarders and bikers in attendance are causing even bigger problems for the city.

“It’s a pain. I hate to come in on Wednesdays just because of that farmers market out there,” said Jerry Seelie.

Seelie works security at Gavilan College, which sits directly below the Briggs parking garage in downtown. It’s there police said the skateboarders come to ride down the ramps while their parents are walking around the farmers market despite the clearly posted “no skateboarding” signs.

“When the skateboarders get upstairs it sounds like you’re in a thunderstorm that’s not going to ever quit. Like a hurricane,” Seelie said.

Police said skateboarders havecaused $10,000 in damage sliding down stair rails and vandalizing the elevators.

“It’s unfortunate because the cops have so many other things to do. We try to call and they come down and try to tell the kids to stop but as soon as they leave the kids go back again,” Tammy Jackson said.

Jackson manages the farmers market and said the teens skateboard and ride their bikes on the busy sidewalks too.

“They just zip through here and don’t pay attention to who’s coming or who’s coming through the alleys or side streets,” Jackson said.

That is something Seelie knows firsthand.

“A couple weeks ago about five or10 of them just pushed me down on the stairs to get up there,” Seelie said.

Police Chief David Westrick said they’ve narrowed it down to several kids responsible for the vandalism. The building has video surveillance so he said prosecution won’t be an issue.