Slashed tires and cut brake lines: Man arrested in dozens of cases, Washington cops say
Why someone would cut dozens of brake lines in Washington neighborhoods remains a mystery but a suspect has been arrested in the case, police said.
Seattle police arrested a 36-year-old man in connection with dozens of reports of cut brake lines and slashed tires in and around Seattle, according to a news release from the Seattle Police Department.
Investigators say the suspect is responsible for the vandalismr in Des Moines and in Seattle, primarily the South Precinct.
“We are working with detectives in Des Moines, [King County Sheriff’s Office] and other surrounding cities that have seen a spate of these incidents and are sharing information on the suspect that we arrested,” Sgt. Randall Huserik, a spokesperson for the Seattle Police Department, told McClatchy News in an email.
Police did not identify the suspect.
At least 33 vehicles had their brake lines slashed over three days in a Des Moines neighborhood through Feb. 25, McClatchy News previously reported. At the time, there were no reports of injuries or accidents.
Des Moines police did not immediately respond to a request for updated information from McClatchy.
Surveillance cameras in the Des Moines neighborhood captured a man cutting brake lines, sometimes taking less than a minute, according to KOMO. Some surveillance footage showed the suspect passing by several cars before stopping to choose the next target, the news station reported.
“It seems like he was on foot going house to house within the community, which is absolutely crazy,” Tammy Do, whose mother is a resident of the targeted neighborhood and a victim of the vandalism, told KCPQ in February.
Larry Bishop, owner of D&D Brakes in Seattle, told McClatchy in February it won’t be hard to tell if something is amiss with a car’s brake system. Once the line is cut, the brakes lose pressure and fluid, which are two components that are necessary for proper functioning, Bishop said during a phone interview.
The brakes won’t stop working immediately. After a brake line is cut, it takes about 30 pumps of the brakes before they stop working, Bishop said. Anyone who suspects their brakes may have been tampered with should not drive their car or try to remedy the problem by simply adding brake fluid, according to Bishop. The vehicle should be towed to a mechanic.
Des Moines is located on the east shore of Puget Sound, two miles south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
The man was arrested in south Seattle early Friday morning, according to the release. Police booked him into SCORE jail in Des Moines for a Department of Corrections felony warrant.
The man is scheduled for a first appearance hearing Saturday afternoon, pending a felony first appearance referral to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the office, told McClatchy News in an email.
Detectives also believe “the suspect may have committed unreported damage in the Rainier Beach area over the last three months,” according to the release.
Victims who have not previously reported unexplained damage to their vehicles are asked to email Seattle police at SPDGIU@Seattle.gov.
This story was originally published March 12, 2021 at 3:08 PM with the headline "Slashed tires and cut brake lines: Man arrested in dozens of cases, Washington cops say."