Residents left puzzled after vandals slash tires on two dozen vehicles in Richmond’s Oak Grove neighborhood
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond Police are searching for two suspects who were caught on camera slashing tires in the city's Oak Grove neighborhood on Friday, April 4.
Police said about two dozen vehicles were targeted, leaving neighbors frustrated and confused.
(Photo: 8News)
Andre Taylor lives on Keswick Avenue. He said he left his house that morning ready to head to work when his neighbor told him that her tires were slashed overnight.
"I thought it might have just been an isolated event," Taylor said. "As I looked at my truck, which is not here because it's in the shop because it [has] two flat tires... everybody's tires end up getting slashed," he said.
A neighbor shared surveillance video with 8News that captured part of the crime. It showed two people dressed in all black, slashing the tire of a parked car.
Richmond Police confirmed that the vandalism happened around 3 a.m. Officers say several vehicles along Joplin Avenue were also targeted.
"It was just unbelievable that somebody would do that to everybody [in] the neighborhood," said William Hacker as he changed a tire that was also slashed.
Hacker said the vandals damaged the tires on two of his vehicles.
Several neighbors said the crime wasn't just an inconvenience but also came as an unexpected expense. Hacker said he paid $265 for one tire. Another neighbor said it cost upwards of $700 to replace all four of his tires that were slashed.
(Photo: 8News)
Taylor expressed that the ordeal has made him more cautious.
"I've been dragging my legs on it, but I'm going to go ahead and get a ring camera," he said. " I think people will be more on alert now watching their cameras and, you know, making sure that we protect ourself the best way we can."
Neighbors said they hope officers can track down the people responsible for this costly crime. Richmond police said they're reviewing other surveillance footage and statements from witnesses to identify the suspects.
