Dozens of vehicles in Manhattan were damaged over the span of hours Tuesday morning, according to police.
A man was seen on surveillance video slashing tires on more than 40 cars, trucks and SUVs in the borough, police said. By Tuesday evening, more than a dozen cars on West 15th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Chelsea still had flat tires.
Some didn't yet know their vehicles had been damaged. They found out by notes officers left on their cars.
"The whole entire block had one half of their cars completely flat," said Sarah Rona, who lives in the area. "People were out here on their backs changing their own tires."
Another woman said not only were her vehicle's tires slashed, but whoever did it also drew on the car with a knife.
Police confirmed some of the victims are firefighters who had their personal cars parked near the fire station on Eighth Avenue in Times Square.
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"It’s worse than that honestly because it makes us fear for our safety, potentially. That’s a pretty violent act. It’s more than just nicking somebody’s windshield," said neighbor Rich Herbst.
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Those who live in the area hope that someone recognizes the man seen in the surveillance video and calls police. Some of the victims are now left scrambling to find a way to pay for repairs.
Police said it’s not clear yet if the damage in Chelsea is connected to the damage in midtown.
