Man gets prison for Dayton glass-smashing spree

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A man accused of a vandalism spree in downtown Dayton was sentenced to prison.

The sentence

Mark Arden, 60, was sentenced by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Timothy N. O’Connell to a total of 30 months, or two and a half years, in prison for six felony counts of vandalism and two misdemeanor counts of criminal damaging.

Mark Arden, 60, was arrested for allegedly smashing glass and Plexiglas windows and doors of eight storefronts and a church in the northwest part of downtown Dayton on Aug. 12, 2025. CONTRIBUTED

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Arden will receive credit for 142 days already spent in confinement.

In addition, he was ordered to pay $8,707 in restitution to Talbott Tower.

What was he accused of?

Investigators said that Arden was caught on surveillance video Aug. 12 breaking and damaging windows and doors on about eight storefronts in a northwestern section of downtown Dayton.

A broken window at Rabbit Hole Books at 29 W. First Street in the northwest part of downtown Dayton. Someone damaged windows and doors of at least six businesses and storefronts on Aug. 12, 2025. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

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The damaged stores included Teardrop Streakhouse, Rabbit Hole Books, Lisse Beauty Bar, Cosmo Joe’s Atomic Lounge, the League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area and the Salon.

In all, police said Arden may have caused more than $10,000 in damage.

Arden was reportedly injured while breaking the glass and was found when police followed the trail of blood.

Gene Lamar, an employee with Miami Valley Door Lock and Key, measures a window on Tuesday, Aug. 12 in the front of Rabbit Hole Books on West First Street that was damaged due to being vandalized. BRYANT BILLING / STAFF

Credit: Bryant Billing

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Credit: Bryant Billing

Criminal history

A Dayton Daily News analysis found that Arden has an extensive criminal history, with court records showing he was convicted of more than 140 offenses in Dayton Municipal Court over the last 13 years.

Most of these were minor offenses like public intoxication or possessing open alcohol containers, but he has also been convicted of more serious crimes like criminal trespassing, felony assault and assaulting a police officer.

Officials said that Arden often gets intoxicated and causes trouble in downtown Dayton.

Staff writer Cornelius Frolik contributed to this report.

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