Vandals slash tires in Wayne

Police searching for culprits

WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – Nearly a dozen drivers in Wayne walked out to their cars over the weekend to find their tires slashed by vandals, causing thousands of dollars in damages.

Local 4's Roger Weber said cars in driveways and in streets were targeted by the tire-slashing vandals throughout the city of Wayne.

Mike Nestor began getting into his Taurus Sunday morning and noticed that the car was sitting too low.
"I saw it was flat, and the neighbor's was flat, the next neighbors over's was flat," Nestor said.

Wayne police say vandals struck in several neighborhoods late Saturday and early Sunday morning.

It's wrong," said 20-year-old Andre Burrell, whose car was also vandalized. "Because I know, myself, I wouldn't do that to anyone."

All the tires have similar damage: a knife puncture on the side. On Monday, five of the victims called Lobo Tires manager Jesse Lopez.

"You can't repair a tire from the side so usually you've got to get a new tire or a used tire," Lopez said. "So a lot of customers are angry today."

New tire replacements run from $80-$200 each. Burrell will need his car when classes resume at Schoolcraft College.

"Christmas is right around the corner and for someone to do this to my car is kind of a setback," Burrell said.

Nestor, like many of the victims, lost two tires. He says he'll be able to afford a couple of new tires after the holidays are over.

"I'd like them to get caught," Nestor said of the vandals. "So maybe they can see why, learn why, the hard way."

Wayne police have alerted citizens about what is going on and asked for their help in solving the crime. If they arrest anyone, they could be charged with malicious destruction of property.