Another week, another auto vandalism incident in Northeast Philadelphia.
Police say that more than a dozen unattended cars were damaged along the 600 block of Van Kirk St. early on March 28 when someone sprayed an unknown chemical agent on them, causing their paint to peel, police said.
Several victims discovered the damage at about 4:25 a.m. and called 911. Officers took complaints from four vehicle owners at the scene and are in the process of contacting others.
Later that day, police distributed fliers in the neighborhood asking witnesses to call Northeast Detectives at 215–686–3153 or the department’s tip-line at 215–686-TIPS. Information may be sent by e-mail to [email protected]
Witnesses should call 911 to report crimes in progress.
Two days before the Van Kirk Street incident, police arrested one man in connection with the slashing of tires on nine cars on March 22 near Cottman and Rowland avenues.
But Quincy Kramer, 21, of the 3300 block of Englewood St. in Mayfair, has not been implicated in any of a series of other tire slashing and auto vandalism cases in Mayfair and other parts of the Northeast, dating back at least to Feb. 13.
Detectives believe that a “copy cat” phenomenon is at work. Kramer has been charged with multiple misdemeanor crimes. ••
