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Vandals strike again in south Sunnyvale
Residents lose tires to a slasher's blade
By Sam Scott
An expensive wave of vandalism hit south Sunnyvale last week. On May 7, unknown suspects slashed 41 tires on 15 cars in neighborhoods near Hollenbeck Road and Homestead Road. The night of May 2, a similar spree occurred in the same area. Captain Chuck Eaneff, Sunnyvale Public Safety spokesman, said police have no leads or suspects. Eaneff said he did not know how many tires vandals damaged the first night.
City Councilwoman Julia Miller was among the victims hit by vandals. She said when she left her house on the morning of May 8, it was obvious something had happened.
"I came out, saw all these tow trucks on the street" she said. "I thought I was OK."
Her tires apparently had slow leaks. After driving on the freeway, all four of Miller's tires went flat on Mary Avenue. She said it appeared someone had used something similar to an ice pick to puncture the tires. The tow truck driver who responded correctly guessed where Miller lived when he saw her situation, she said.
The timing of the vandalism was unfortunate for Miller and others in her condominium complex. Normally, she said, many of them park their cars in their garages. However, the homeowners' association was doing work on the driveways, and many residents had parked on the street instead.
Lauri Harder, a neighbor of Miller, lost tires in both the May 2 and May 7 attacks. Both times, Harder said, someone destroyed all four of her tires. "It's been a very expensive week-and-a- half," she said. "I am extremely upset."
Miller said she was upset neighbors hadn't been notified of the May 2 attack. She said she wouldn't have parked her car on the street if she had known.
Eaneff did not have a monetary estimate for the damage caused by the slashings, but said the cost, including replacement tires, towing, and lost time would be appreciable.
Tire slashings also plagued north Cupertino earlier this year. On the evening of Feb. 26, victims reported 11 punctures at the Cupertino Library. Tires on three city vehicles were also flattened in the parking lot behind Cupertino City Hall, next to the library.
Other victims reported incidents at locations focused in a corridor between Stevens Creek Boulevard and Homestead Road.
Eaneff said he was unaware of a connection between the vandalism in Cupertino and Sunnyvale. The number of occurrences of this type was rare, he said, but not unheard of.
"We occasionally see a lot of damage like this," he said. "Someone goes on a malicious mischief spree, breaking off car antennas, pulling off car emblems, or slashing tires."
City Manager Bob LaSala said patrols were being increased in the area.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
