Livermore police investigating bizarre rash of car vandalism

LIVERMORE, Calif. - Police in Livermore are investigating a bizarre rash of car vandalism. Nearly two dozen cars were damaged on Locust Street between Rincon Avenue and North P Street over the weekend.

Police call it strange and unusual. None of the car owners had anything stolen. Most of the cars on the street were targeted and no one knows why. Neighbors said cars had different types of damage depending on where the car was parked.

Ken Stange returned home from work on Sunday morning and found somebody smashed his fiancé’s driver's side view mirror. They moved into the neighborhood two weeks ago. It wasn’t the only car damaged.

“Once I parked my car and got out and looked at the rest of the street and saw probably about eight cars in this area hit as well,” said Stange.

Twenty-three cars in all were vandalized on busy Locust Street in a residential neighborhood of Livermore. Police suspect it happened around 2 a.m. Almost every car owner was a victim.

On one side of the street, cars had busted mirrors on the driver’s side. On the other side of Locust, neighbors found cars had been keyed.

“The neighbors are reasonably upset,” said Stange. “I’m upset as well especially being new to the neighborhood.”

“It appears to be random at this point,” said Officer Taylor Burress of Livermore Police. “No investigative leads have led us to believe anything different.”

Victims must now pay for repairs to make sure their cars are safe to drive. No one knows why this street was targeted.

“It’s sad and why somebody would choose to do something like this is perplexing,” said Officer Burress.

Police said the vandals got away and they have no suspect information.

One homeowner’s security camera captured someone who he believes is the vandal walking on his driveway early Sunday morning. His neighbor’s car got keyed.

Another neighbor believes two people in hoodies and dark clothing were involved last seen running toward Livermore Center.

Police urge vigilance and said video surveillance and motion-activated lighting can be deterrents.

“People don’t want to commit crime when they are lit up,” said Burress.

“It’s a meaningless crime,” said Stange. “I understand for somebody breaking in to steal something but this is just for destruction of property. It does nobody any good it just hurts people.”

Police are asking for help for witnesses to come forward and for neighbors to check their surveillance cameras. Meantime, police plan on extra patrols in the area.