Fort Bragg Police Arrest Downtown Businessman After Tree Limbs, Pallet Dumped on City Hall Steps
Suspect Says He’s Angry Over City’s Direction; Incident Causes Property Damage
A man who says he owns an antique shop on Franklin Street was arrested Sunday and booked on suspicion of vandalism after police say he dumped tree limbs, a pallet and other debris on the steps of Fort Bragg City Hall. The dumping happened just after 5 p.m., when the building was closed and no staff were present. Police were called to the scene, and no one was threatened or injured. Officers said a board had been nailed into the building, causing property damage and leading to the vandalism charge.
Nicolas Kerttula, 27, says online that he owns The Treasure Room, a downtown shop selling women’s fashion, clothing and antiques, which he describes as offering “a lot of fun items.”
“This occurred approximately ten minutes before officers arrived — just after 5 p.m.,” Fort Bragg Police Commander Jonathan McLaughlin said. “No note was left at the scene, but officers did interview him. He expressed his distrust and general dislike of city government and how it is functioning.”
The items included boards, branches, an old pallet and smashed glass bottles — a small heap of debris that looked deliberately assembled rather than casually dumped. One of the boards had been nailed into the side of City Hall, Fort Bragg Police Commander Jonathan McLaughlin said, leaving visible damage on the exterior wall. Photos of the pile circulated quickly on social media, drawing a mix of confusion and frustration from residents before city staff cleaned up the mess.
We at MendocinoCoast.news have spoken with Kerttula numerous times, visited his shop and had several thoughtful conversations with him. He has always been friendly with our dogs, who were eager to play with him. We cannot independently confirm that he owns The Treasure Room — only that he is frequently working there and states on his Facebook profile and elsewhere online that he is the owner. We are actively seeking his side of the story; in past conversations he has been an articulate and engaged speaker.
On social media, Kerttula has described his attachment to the store in vivid, sometimes abrasive terms. Here is what he wrote about building the business he says he founded:
“I founded my antique store with nothing but determination, curiosity, and a need to survive. No funding. No connections. No home. Just a sharp eye for forgotten value and a willingness to learn everything the hard way. What started as a pile of junk and oddities in an open grassy lot became a thriving, curated shop; a reflection of both the past I reclaimed and the future I’m building. Along the way, I taught myself inventory management, restoration techniques, customer service, marketing, and the art of building relationships with collectors, artists, and wandering wastrels. Most importantly, I learned how to deal with shitfucks like you. Yes you. Uptight fucking business asshole. I given’t a fuck about your 401k. It’ll be doing you no good during the great depression 2. I scoffed at the traditional path into business, opting to carve one with my bare hands and learned to find beauty in the things most people overlook — including myself. If you’re looking for someone who can see the value in anything, that’s me. If you need someone who isn’t afraid.”
The press release follows:
On 04/12/2026 at approximately 1736 hours, Officers of the Fort Bragg Police Department were
dispatched to a report of vandalism to the Fort Bragg City Hall, located at 416 N. Franklin Street.
Upon arrival , officers located the vandalism and began searching for the suspect based on a
description provided by reporting parties. Shortly thereafter, officers located and detained the
suspect identified as Nicolas Kerttula, 27 years of age of Fort Bragg. Through their investigation
and witness statements, Kerttula was positively identified and arrested.
During the investigation, officers determined there were no direct threats made towards city
staff,. Kerttula was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for the charge of 594(b)(1) PC,
vandalism in excess of $400.
The City would like to remind the community that if you observe suspicious or concerning
behavior, including vandalism in progress, please contact dispatch immediately. In this instance,
earlier reporting may have allowed for a quicker response and reduced the extent of the
cleanup/damage. Timely communication helps ensure the safety of our community and protects
public facilities.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Officer James of the
Fort Bragg Police Department at (707)961-2800 ext. 231.
This information is being released by Commander McLaughlin. All media inquiries should
contact him at jmclaughlin@fortbraggca.gov
In the end, it was just another Sunday on the Mendocino Coast — the kind where the wind shifts, the gulls complain, and someone decides to make a point with a pallet and a handful of broken branches. City Hall got a new nail it didn’t ask for, Facebook got its latest mystery pile, and Fort Bragg got one more story to add to its long ledger of “you can’t make this stuff up.”
The police logged their report, the mess was swept away, and the tide rolled in like it always does, indifferent to our human theatrics. And somewhere downtown, The Treasure Room’s lights glowed over the oddities and antiques, waiting for the next chapter in this whacky little saga — and for Kerttula’s side of the story, which we’re still eager to hear.
Because in Fort Bragg, even the strangest days eventually settle into the rhythm of the coast. But the stories? They stick around.
