Woman Claims She Didn't Slash West Philly Tires

Police question woman about vandalizing 59 cars parked in West Philly but she claims she didn't slash any tires

One of the two people wanted in connection to a series of tire slashings in West Philadelphia earlier this week turned herself into Southwest Detectives Friday.

But, as she left the police station she told reporters that she had nothing do with the actual tire slashings.

Police say the yet to be identified woman was questioned in connection to the vandalism of 59 vehicles during the pre-dawn hours Monday, around 5:30 to 6:40 a.m., as cars parked on the 4700 to 5000 block of Hazel Avenue and on the 5300 block of Chancellor Street were hit, according to Philadelphia Police.

The woman, who had a lawyer with her when she turned herself in, was interviewed and wasn't charged, police said.

She told reporters that she is the woman seen in surveillance video released by police but that she never damaged any cars.

Surveillance video shows a man and a woman walking down the street around 5:30 a.m., with the man stooping to quickly puncture two tires on a vehicle and then walking down the street apparently cutting tires as he goes.

The man was described as a dark complexion black man, about 5-foot-11-inches tall who was wearing dark clothes. 

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Resident Erik Gorbsky says it's a neighborhood of working-class families and every dollar counts. He says the vandalism comes at an especially bad time because it's right after the holidays.

Police acted quickly in announcing $10,000 worth of reward money ($5,000 from the mayor's fund and $5,000 from the Fraternal Order of Police) for the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the “senseless and hurtful crime.”

Last year, the city's Mayfair section was plagued by a tire slasher for weeks. A neighborhood activist, David Toledo, was arrested and arraigned on multiple charges in that case.

Anyone with information on the West Philly slashings should call the Southwest Detectives at 215-686-3183/84.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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