Tires were slashed last night....

[Matt Hutchinson]

I really need to get this off my chest right now. I woke up this morning to find that the tires on my wife's car were slashed. Our car was up in our driveway, not on the street, and all four tired were punctured. Not what I would call a 'random act', yet there is nothing that has ever happened with our neighbors that would warrant this kind of reaction. The first two years at our house have gone so smoothly until this summer.

It's so discouraging. We have a very low income, and this is a loner car from my father-in-law. He will be covering the cost, but this isn't the first time this car has been damaged when parked overnight. I feel like every time we get back on our feet we keep getting kicked back down. Events like this just bring anxiety and paranoia into everyday life, things which I struggle with in the first place. Granted, I live in a city neighborhood which has a lot more crime than typical suburbia, but it's still really getting to me. And with my credit and the current housing market it's gonna quite a while before we can move (which was our plan when buying this house in the first place).

I am feeling so crummy.

Hutch

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Matt,

My sincere sympathies! I don't understand people who feel that damaging other people's property is fun, funny or justifiable.

It's not just related to living in an urban area either.

I live in a small town, population around 31, 000. Within a 10 mile radius if you include other towns...population maybe 65,000.

2 weeks ago so gang-member wannabes decided that they needed to mark their turf....on the side of my 5th wheel trailer. Now it is parked parallel to the street but still.....

It'll cost me $500 out of my pocket and I'm not sure how much out of my insurance companies pocket as the siding will have to be replaced on the trailer.

Sick minds have a sick sense of humor or right and wrong.

[Phyllis Meyer]

Matt,

My heart does go out to you and family! Things like this are so hard to comprehend. I am proud of you for even reaching out to vent (so many keep these things inside and that causes even more problems). The economy has made life so difficult for so many, and I will be praying that your family will overcome this and be able to get back up on your feet!

Sincerely,
Phyllis

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

UGH! sorry to hear that....I don't understand why people feel the need to do things like that.

[Robert Parrish]

I can sympathize with you because we are having vandal problems in my neighborhood. Last week someone tried to steal the back flow precentor (they are stealing them for the copper) from my front yard. I heard them at 2:30 AM and turned on the lights. They then took off tearing up my lawn in the process. I live on a corner and have had my grass torn up several times this year by vehicles taking a short cut across my lawn. The sheriff's office told me that if I installed anything that would damage their car or injure the occupants that I could be sued. It seems that the criminals have more rights than the homeowner!

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I'd consult with someone other than the local sherrif on that. I mean, a board with nails on it strategically placed could do wonders for those drivers "attitudes".

if it were me - I'd make a nice little "fence" - purely for decoration, and clearly meant to be in my yard. Maybe some posts with a rope or decorative chain draped in between.....but I'd make it out of some sort of metal beams sunk in 4' of concrete and then dressed up with wood. I imagine it would be an irresistable "target", and I don't see a car winning that battle.

[Mark Hix]

That is just mean. I see hundreds of these things every year and never have understood why people do it. They rarely ever get caught. Probably not even someone you know. If you have comprehensive coverage, it will cover it so you are only out the deductible.

[Frank Hagan]

Robert, you can find some way to landscape to help prevent "drive overs". I live on a corner too (actually, a "peninsula" with streets on three sides), and we found out after we bought the house that our living room once housed a brand new BMW (teenager didn't quite make the corner in dad's new car). I plan to include some nice big boulders when we re-do the front yard. A rock garden is perfectly acceptable landscaping.

Last Wednesday night I thought we had a bad case of water hammer going on at 1 AM, then it sounded like something fell in the bathroom. Getting up, I found our house had been pelted with bright pink paintballs, two on the front, three on the side, and 10 or so on the back. Luckily, they wash off very easily.

But I have to sympathize with Matt; tires are expensive. Not to mention all the other things that come along with this kind of thing ... the feelings of anger, lack of control and wondering just how the heck you can protect your family from this kind of thing.

Maybe motion detector lights would help (mine go off with the dogs going outside too, but at least anyone walking near them gets illuminated.)

[Matt Hutchinson]

Thanks for all the support. My wife and I have been calling places all morning, and finally found the right price for towing and tires.

We filed a police report over the phone, and that's about all that's gonna happen. They stated that slashings are usually a result of ill feelings, but I can't imagine what it would be from.

Our deductibly is $250, but my in-laws (the owners of the car) are going to pay for it. I feel bad, but I am thankful for having such a generous family.

Anywho, I really appreciate your comments. My peace of mind is slowly coming back.

Hutch

P.S. The houses are so packed in here that illuminating my driveway would mean lighting my neighbor's childrens' bedrooms, but I am definitely considering lighting options.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

You can always put the lights on a motion sensor.

[Tom Godley]

I does give an uneasy feeling - long after the financial pain is gone

The auto vandalism was so bad in parts of Philadelphia in the early 90's that I finally moved - but my car was parked out on the street --- UNLOCKED! -- they would never check to see. At least in NYC they check the door first!!!

It is another matter when it is in your driveway -- I had a shed broken into and all manner of outdoor power equipment stolen.

It changes your whole way of looking at your property. Sorry

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Matt,

My carport and backdoor into the house is probably 15 feet from my neighbors son's bedroom. I put a 60 watt lamp on the light near my backdoor and a 65 watt floodlight on the carport, aimed towards the street. The flood is controlled by a motion sensor aimed at the street. It doesn't come on unless someone comes onto the carport.

[Robert Parrish]

I have explored all the options but I live in a deed restricted community and the restrictions do not allow fences in the front yard or large boulders although I see some neighbors have them. I was going to paint some 2x4's green and shoot nails in them but the sheriff said that may cause them to wreck and run into a pond and I would be responsible. I do have motion lights and cameras all around. The cameras don't work at night. These guys don't seem to be bothered by security measures as the backflow is directly under a street light! We have a new Castle Law here in Florida that would allow me to shoot them if they provoked me in a confrontation. But I don't I would want to shoot someone just for running over my grass. The sad thing is that the copper value is about $10.00 but to replace the backflow is about $500.00.

[John Shuk]

That just sucks. No answers for you but it really blows.

[Dennis Peacock]

Man....all this bad news and all because of our society. What's going to happen when fuel (and copper) prices go even higher?? More theft and stupid stuff??

I sure wish we could get the "old America" back.