Vandals Attack Cars In Mayfair For Second Weekend In A Row
By Jericka Duncan, Robin Rieger and Al Novack
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Philadelphia police patrolled Aldine Street in Mayfair Sunday night, trying to give residents there some sense of security many feel deflated.
About 20 people woke up to flat tires Sunday morning that had been slashed overnight.
"Leave us alone," says Yvonne Toledo.
For Toledo and her husband, this has become a familiar scene.
"My husband says, 'Babe, babe, they got us again,'" says Toledo, describing how her husband woke her at 3 a.m. to tell her their tires had been slashed again.
On February 5th, vandals spray painted several cars in the neighborhood, and last week someone slashed the tires on at least 10 cars. Valerie Lopez had two tires cut.
"It cost me 140 dollars just to get two tires fixed," said Lopez.
Neighbors are now on watch, taking turns patrolling. Sunday night, Lopez says she saw several people in the alley by her car. She says when she opened her window she heard,
"'They caught us, they caught us' and started taking off," she says.
Out of breath, Mayfair town watch member Milt Martelack describes chasing them and with the help of Lopez and other neighbors stopping two young men for police who arrived minutes later.
"Upon arrival I observed teens acting disorderly. At that time I placed a 911 call," said Martelack.
"When I came back I told him to stop and police assisted us with apprehension."
Police at the scene tell us the two picked up are juveniles taken home to their parents. Police say they are not suspected in the vandalism. People in Mayfair say they will remain vigilant.
