UPDATE: Police have confirmed that about 50 cars had their tires slashed along the 4900 and 5000 blocks of Hazel Ave. It appears that a knife was used judging by the shape of the gashes, which are each about an inch long (see photos).
Earlier this morning a reader, Arwin, emailed with information that several cars parked on the north side of the 5000 block of Hazel Avenue had their tires slashed overnight. At least four cars were affected, including Arwin’s. Apparently, some cars on the 4900 block had their tires slashed too.
Arwin reported the incident to the police who are sending someone out. “Very unfortunate start to the morning,” she said.
Neighbor Alon Abramson changes the slashed tire on his girlfriend’s car this morning.
January 7th, 2013 at 10:22 am
After learning more, it looks like it was actually much more severe than what we originally thought. I spoke to a detective walking up and down the block who told me that over 40 cars had their tires slashed. There is some surveillance footage from a house on the 4900 block of Hazel so we are hopeful for some reckoning.
January 7th, 2013 at 10:42 am
That’s pretty awful how many people that happened to. I wonder what time this happened? That’s a lot of tire slashing for no one to see.
January 7th, 2013 at 10:45 am
I went to bed around 11 and woke up just before 6. I remember hearing voices outside at some point during the night. I would guess it happened during the very early morning hours.
January 7th, 2013 at 11:23 am
I feel like this had to be the work of kids. This happened before by UPenn’s campus and it was high school students. Can’t help but think where are their parents at and why were they out late at night?
January 7th, 2013 at 12:02 pm
Same thing happened to our car on Florence between 49th and 50th. Same knife size and everything.
January 7th, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Any idea as to what time this happened (from the surveillance cam)? Was it just 1 tire per car or multiple per car? Both sides of the street?
January 7th, 2013 at 2:49 pm
I called it in on the 4900 block of Hazel. It happened at 5:40am. The man, who I saw only his back from my 3rd story window, was walking west. On my way to work, I saw that it happened to cars parked on the 4800 block of Hazel, so he had already done a lot of damage by the time I called.
January 7th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Maybe it forced some people to use public transportation and realize they didn’t need their car after all. A little heavy handed? Yes. But I understand.
January 7th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
@DC
Not everyone works in the city. I know the route it would take to get to my work via public transportation, it would turn my 10 minute commute into an hour, or more, commute. Don’t assume everyone’s job is so easily accessible via mass transit.
January 7th, 2013 at 3:46 pm
@Rashid: Did you report it? Definitely let the police know about it.
@Hec: One tire per car, as far as I know. I think it was just the north side of the street.
@C: Glad you called. I can’t believe it happened right as I was waking up! That is frustrating.
@DC: I walk to work… even better than public transit. I’ve only been driving because I’m in the process of moving to 50th and Hazel. Guess I should take all my furniture on public transit now? You’re more than welcome to come help me get my sofa on the 64 bus. Or perhaps I should just carry everything across west Philly by myself?
January 7th, 2013 at 3:50 pm
@DC
It also forced people to miss a flight out of town and drop $200 to have their tires replaced. And by people I mean me.
January 7th, 2013 at 4:01 pm
@Tom – I assume nothing.
@Arwin – I have a gigantic truck. If you need help moving, let me know.
@Free – That sucks.
All – I only said I understand the mindset of the perpetrator. Or maybe I’m way off and he or she was just a dick. Obviously a slashed tire is convenient to no one. I suppose I’m just looking on the bright side of things. Maybe you’ll meet someone awesome or go on an adventure.
January 7th, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Tires aren’t cheap, regardless of the message [deleted]. I highly doubt that is the perpetrators mindset.
January 7th, 2013 at 4:30 pm
I don’t care how noble the person’s intentions may or may not have been (though I’m inclined to agree with Tom and believe that the person was just being an unthinking ass). $200 times 50 cars is a lot of damage. $10,000 seems like a bit much for a “statement”.
By all means, come help me move. I’ll be bouncing back and forth between 46th and Spruce and 50th and Hazel allllll night. Hell, I’ll buy you a beer for your troubles.
January 7th, 2013 at 4:35 pm
Tonight? I’m gonna be working until 11pm or so. Will you still be working?
January 7th, 2013 at 4:38 pm
[deleted by admin – No name calling please]
January 7th, 2013 at 4:50 pm
You’re a real class act, John.
January 7th, 2013 at 6:26 pm
@DC
You REALLY think that the perp had sustainability on their mind?
Man, I really needed that laugh. Thanks.
January 7th, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Let me just say this:
The trolleys, trains and buses roll all over town whether you are on them or not. You may think Septa is inefficient or uncool or it smells like piss and maybe it does but it’s OUR public transit system. Make the change you want to see. If more “regular” people used it, perhaps Septa could raise more revenue and become more efficient and pleasant.
I’m not really concerned about what you do or where you go or how you get there but if we want to live in a neighborhood, try getting to know your neighbors. We have a lot of crime out here and much of it could be alleviated if we would just talk to each other instead of running from your car to your house and back again, locking the doors, flipping on the evening news and wondering what the h3ll is wrong with these people. I love this city. I walk all over it all day. Give it a try.
But I get it. Your car is super convenient. You really like the color and the way your hands fit over the steering wheel. You can drive to the supermarket or the beach or to Chattanooga. I get it. It’s annoying that Memphis is the only major city Amtrak passes through in all of Tennessee.
@Free I REALLY think the perp MAY HAVE had sustainability in mind. Maybe he was dreaming of a world where we weren’t all just scared of each other. Keeping our heads down and hating every minute. Why do you think he did it? He certainly didn’t make any money. He certainly didn’t get any fanfare. Am I projecting? Maybe. But so are you. And by the way, the taxi to the airport is a flat rate $25.
January 7th, 2013 at 7:37 pm
@DC: You are definitely projecting. Welcome to Philly from whatever suburb you came from. And please keep in mind, with the economy the way it is right now, sometimes “regular” people actually need a car to stay employed if they don’t have the luxury of working somewhere easily accessible by public transportation.
January 7th, 2013 at 7:42 pm
I’m a neighbor from this block who happened to not be home that night and I’m SO sorry to those to whom this happened. and this kid is a troll, ignore the temptation to engage with him. 🙁
January 7th, 2013 at 7:50 pm
@ DC: I hear your thoughts, but this is really not the right forum for that discussion. This was pretty major property damage, and very unfortunate.
Anyhow, just saw in the Inquirer that there is $10,000 reward in the case!
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20120107_10_000_reward_offered_in_W_Philly_tire_slashings.html
January 7th, 2013 at 7:50 pm
@DC
Give me and other car owners a break here. I walk or use public transport to work and many other places, and also use taxis on occasion. But I need a car for many things that would be difficult, if not impossible, and definitely inconvenient to get to via mass transit, Philly Carshare or Zipcar. Especially in West Philly. (When I lived in Center City I did not own a car.) I don’t go from house to car and back again and don’t flip on the TV when I get home. I do walk the city streets a lot, as does everyone else in my household and most of our neighbors, all ages, all races. What are you implying exactly?
As for why the perps did it when they don’t get anything from it — for that matter, why is there any vandalism of any kind — spray paint on subway cars or buildings for example? Vandals don’t get paid for their “work.”
I just spent over $600 for 4 new tires two months ago and now need to replace one. Fortunately I don’t need my car every day. It doesn’t matter whether or not you think this is the “noble” protest of people concerned about “sustainability” — and believe me, I and other victims of this vandalism are VERY concerned about sustainability — that hardly matters. And FYI on my block — 4800 block of Hazel — and other blocks around me, we DO know our neighbors and we DO talk to each other, all the time. There are just not many of us up and about at 5:00 a.m. I’m not sure how you think talking to our neighbors would have prevented this from happening.
January 7th, 2013 at 7:52 pm
@Phyllis – Yes, DC definitely sounds like someone raised in the burbs who then moved to the city to change the world. When you live off of your parents’ trust fund you have no concept of reality.
January 7th, 2013 at 9:06 pm
If you don’t know your neighbors for one reason or another, I’ve discovered that “Hey! Did your car get slashed too? That’s really awful!” is a great ice breaker.
January 8th, 2013 at 12:47 am
The surveillance video is on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo99ttZZQCo
January 8th, 2013 at 3:43 am
Just viewed the video.
This guy is just slashing tires because he apparently has nothing else better do. I really hope he gets caught and I want him to be asked “why?” I would love to hear that answer, and I bet it won’t have much to do with sustainability. What a douche, that guy.
January 8th, 2013 at 10:23 am
@dc – a great way to make us ‘live in a world where we’re not scared of each other’ is to know there is a knife-wielding dude wandering around at night slashing everything around him. You are hysterical- ‘a lot of crime could be alleviated if we just talk to each other’ Which Portlandia episode are you living in?
January 8th, 2013 at 11:05 am
dc has a point about people needing to get to know our neighbors and participate in their community- it DOES reduce crime, it does improve the neighborhood, etc.
dc does not have a point about anything else, because… not everyone is a young single person who works in center city and commuting to work, visiting family, taking children to the doctor or school or the babysitter, grocery shopping for a large family, etc. are all much harder to do and take much more time without a car, and not everyone has 3 extra hours a day to commute.
January 8th, 2013 at 11:39 am
“Which Portlandia episode are you living in?”
HA! @alrightalex thank you for my morning laugh.
WPL threads never fail to crack me up at how those with extreme opinions will always come in to hijack a conversation. There are some clearly deranged people commuting widespread property damage in our community but [INSERT HIPPIE AGENDA HERE].
January 8th, 2013 at 11:40 am
[deleted by admin]
January 8th, 2013 at 12:17 pm
@rgl
You are correct, however it is obvious that knowing our neighbors and participating in the community does not prevent all crime; it certainly did not in this case. I have lived in this neighborhood for over 7 years after living in Center City for 12, and found there is much more sense of community on the affected W.Philly blocks than there was in my former (very nice) neighborhoods.
January 8th, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Hey, DC. I live on 50th Street within a block of those tire slashings. About that flat rate taxi to the airport? Guess how many times I’ve called for a taxi from my apartment (or even scheduled one in advance) and had the taxi NEVER show up? So many times that I now walk east of 48th with all my luggage and call a cab from there or sleep over with someone in Center City if I have to catch an early morning flight or make it to Amtrak with more luggage than fits on SEPTA.
To the rest of the good folks on West Philly Local: anyone west of 48th got a good cab service to recommend?
January 8th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
@Kate M. YES! Have you tried Liberty Shuttle? They are based right out of West Philly and they’ve always been 100% prompt and courteous.
I have had issues trying to reserve with other cab services. I booked a van with Victory a month in advance to take my bridesmaids and myself all of 3-4 miles from salon to venue on my wedding day and they didn’t show up, unapologetically claiming that they were all busy — which resulted in one furious bride terrorizing an entire salon by screaming bloody murder vulgar threats at a cab dispatcher over the phone.
Sorry, now I am hijacking the thread!
January 8th, 2013 at 3:49 pm
Many thanks, Stacey! Let’s take this to the forum for further discussion–don’t want to continue hijacking the thread, but the recommendation is MUCH appreciated.
January 8th, 2013 at 3:56 pm
@DC-
While your comments that people should utilize mass transit more, drive less, etc, are valid in and of themselves, espousing them here only adds insult to injury for those affected…Unless the act came with some discernible statement of protest, there’s little reason to surmise its anything more than malicious damage…AT LEAST when someone throws a lightbulb full of paint at Gold Standard, and scrawls ‘Gentrif-f_cker’ on the wall, its trying to incite a discussion…This very likely WAS some kids, and as someone with a mischievous youth, I can say that I did dumb things like that strictly out of boredom, or for ‘sh_ts and giggles’…stunts on this level sometimes carry some ‘greater consciousness’ with them, but here, DC, I think you’re reaching a bit. Sorry:/
January 9th, 2013 at 2:30 am
I think he owns a tire shop. Investigators should question local mechanics.
Or he’s looking for some excitement..trying to impress his lady? Is that how assholes impress one another?
Or maybe he’s going green…
But, I think he’s just angry, sad, pathetic, and completely ignorant. What goes around comes around though. When will these criminals learn “you’re life sucks because you are a bad person.”