Tyre slasher in street orgy of destruction

Drivers left facing big repair bills

By Will Davies


A VANDAL who damaged ten cars parked in Crisp Road, Henley has been described as ‘mindless’ by police.

On Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday, the vehicles were scratched with a stanley knife and around six had at least one tyre slashed.

Crisp Road resident Dee Irving had her car scratched and its tyres slashed and her son’s car scratched. “I have only just bought it as an 18th birthday present for him,” she said. “He’s absolutely gutted.”

Pointing along the road mainly occupied by young families, she added: “This is the first time something like this has happened here. Some cars have really deep scratches.”

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, says it will cost over £1,500 to have her Jeep resprayed. Her neighbour had two tyres on her Ford Mondeo slashed and such bad scratching that it will cost ‘well over a thousand pounds’ to repair. “One tyre you can get away with as you have a spare, but having two done completely immobilises you,” she said.

Many of the vehicles that had their tyres slashed were work vans. Judith Ralph, whose husband Philip is a builder, said: “It’s pretty sick. The reason they got away with it is because they had good cover. They can’t be seen as all the houses are set back from the road and are high up.”

Another resident, whose partner’s van had two tyres slashed and which remains jacked-up on the street, said he has had to ride a bike to work. She said: “You can’t just get new van tyres - you have to order them.

“It is so random and a total shock. We don’t get any trouble round here. I reckon it is people walking back drunk after a night out on the town. I mean, who goes around with a Stanley knife?”

Sgt. Nick Glister said: “This was a mindless, pointless crime and we are keen to find the person responsible.“This may seem like a minor incident but if you add up the damage done to this number of cars it comes to thousands of pounds.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Glister by calling 08458 505 505. If you don’t want to leave your name, ring Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.