DELHI _ Eight people who parked their cars along Division Street in Delhi on Wednesday night woke up to find slashed tires on Thursday morning.
Andrew Hurd, a State University College of Technology at Delhi student who rents an apartment from Brigitte Dritsas, said the discovery of a flat tire on his car annoyed him.
"I didn't realize at first that nearly all of the cars on the street had flat tires," Hurd said. "It thought it was just mine."
Dritsas said six of the cars with slashed tires belong to her tenants, one belongs to her husband and the eighth car belongs to a man who lives at the far end of the street.
Division Street is a one-way street with parking limited to the left-hand side. On each of the affected cars, only the tire on the front passenger side was slashed.
Acting Delhi Police Chief Michael Mills said there were rumors of other areas in the village where tires were slashed, but as of Thursday afternoon, he had not been able to confirm them.
"If anyone else had a flat tire Thursday morning or saw or heard anything late Wednesday night or early Thursday, they should contact the Delhi Police Department," Mills said.
Dritsas said she was determined to see what she could find out about the vandalism.
"This was a systematic thing, not just a random prank," Dritsas said. "I don't think it was a grudge against me because my former tenants know I park in the driveway, and my car wasn't touched."
Dritsas said she spoke to several people and had determined that the tire slashing most likely took place between 11 p.m. and midnight or between 12:30 and 6 a.m., based on times that people reported parking their cars in the area.
Mills said there had also been incidents of smashed pumpkins during the night, but said that sort of activity is not uncommon after Halloween.
Anyone with information is asked to call 746-2249.
___
Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.
