Fireworks Vandalism Leaves Billings Business with $13,000 Bill

A local business owner is facing a devastating holiday aftermath after vandals used fireworks to deliberately destroy at least 13 portable toilets across Billings, according to KXLF.

Kris Vogele, owner of Urapeein Porta Pods, reported that this year’s destruction marks a seven-year high for his company. With each commercial stall costing nearly $1,000 to replace, the calculated attacks have inflicted over $13,000 in property damage.

The Cost to the Community

The financial blow extends far beyond the business itself. Vogele frequently coordinates free equipment donations for youth sports and local community staples, like ZooMontana’s holiday lights. This spike in vandalism directly threatens those charity initiatives.

“It’s really sad, because I think that they really aren’t thinking about destroying someone’s property,” Vogele said. “It is 100% done to be destructive. It’s a helpless feeling.”

A Difficult Crime to Track

Holding the perpetrators accountable is proving nearly impossible.

• The Targets: Most incidents occur at isolated construction job sites with no witnesses.
• The Logistics: The company operates 400 stalls across the city, making widespread camera surveillance financially unfeasible.

The reckless behavior has impacted residents, too. In nearby Park City, Sarah Lees reported that stray fireworks shrapnel cracked the windshield of her five-day-old car. While Lees noted her damage was accidental, she expressed deep frustration over the intentional lawlessness targeting local businesses.

With no immediate suspects, Vogele is left to absorb the steep recovery costs while the community loses out on vital local support.

^{Feature image not actual photo from incident}