TOLEDO, Ohio — Michael Riordan lives on National Avenue in south Toledo. He's a veteran and was on his way to a Veteran Affairs appointment.
It was his birthday, and as he was leaving, he noticed an unwanted present.
"It was the first time I had a tire slashed on me," said Riordan. "Looked like a buck knife had been slashed into it."
He got the car towed, and the tire replaced. Then he started asking around the neighborhood to see if it happened to anyone else, and it didn't at the time.
That was a month ago. Then, another neighbor sent WTOL 11 a video depicting someone slashing a car tire on National Avenue. They told us it happened last week.
The person wasn't available for an interview, but resident D.J. Rose said he's seen multiple videos of tire slashing on the street. He said he believes the people in the videos are minors.
"I'm thinking to myself man when I was a kid, I was stealing chrome caps off of cars, and hood ornaments and stuff like that," Rose said. "I wasn't slashing no tires."
The person who sent us a video said they filed a police report, hoping the Toledo Police Department would patrol the neighborhood a little more.
In an email sent to WTOL 11, TPD said officers patrol assigned areas in-between calls. But Rose said he hasn't seen them yet.
"At least once a day coming down this street, and they don't even do that," said Rose.
Riordan saw the videos, but he said he doesn't think having officers in the neighborhood daily is a good idea.
"That's just going cause people to be more afraid," he said. "Well, maybe my garbage is out too far, and I'll get a ticket or something. Or my license plate expired, and I'll get a ticket."
He wants the community to help keep kids busy to stay out of trouble.
"Having more things available for them and actually reaching out and giving them something to do," he said.
Neighbors plan to keep an eye out for tire slashers, and Rose hopes more people see the videos, and possibly identify the slashers.
"For that mom or dad saying, 'That isn't my boy or my daughter,' bam, proof is in the pudding," Rose said.
On their website, Toledo police say the best defense against tire slashing and vehicle vandalism is to park in a garage if you can. Otherwise, try to park your car in a well-lit area, use lights that detect motion, and have cameras on your property.
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