The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 06:35 PM

Several Cars Owners Find Tires Slashed In North Knoxville

Several car owners found their tires slashed in North Knoxville this week. The slashes affected seven reported cars within the last week along Luttrell Street, Grainger Avenue and Armstrong Avenue.

Owners of the cars had no options other than street parking, which made for a quick getaway for the person or persons behind the vandalism.

"The best thing to do is if you see someone in the neighborhood that looks suspicious, call 911," said KPD Public Information Officer Darrell DeBusk. "Let us know. Let us come out, just be watchful for your neighbors. Look out for one another. If you do not participate in the neighborhood, watch, now's a good time to do that."

Sarah Smith, who lives in the area, told Local 8 News she woke up to a text saying her tires were flat. When she went outside, she saw two tires closest to the street flat, deflated down to the cement. Smith looked closer and saw two punctures on both tires. A neighbor a few houses down was looking at his car the same way.

"There was someone else down the street that had his tires slashed, we were both trying to see if we could fill our tires up at the same time," said Smith.

That didn't work, and Smith had to get her car towed and purchase new tires, costing her $300.

The Knoxville Police Department said they don't believe these reported vandalized cars were associated with the BB gun shooting that took place earlier this month.

The two teens responsible for the BB gun shootings have been charged with violation of curfew, and their weapons were confiscated.

KPD said investigators did not have any suspects for the tire slashing incidents as of Thursday, but they asked the public to report any suspicious activity.