East side neighborhood seeing rise in vandalism - 14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro

East side neighborhood seeing rise in vandalism

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By Laura McNutt - bio | email
Posted by Kara Mattingly - bio | email
Residents on East Gum Street say vandalism has been a common occurrence lately. Residents on East Gum Street say vandalism has been a common occurrence lately.
EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -

Some residents on East Gum Street tell 14 News that in the past few months they've heard of at least 15 acts of vandalism, and they say it's not letting up.

One East Gum Street resident says that on Sunday night, a neighbor's iPad was stolen.  Resident Jeff Weber also says a bike was recently stolen from a garage, windows and car headlights smashed, even damage to his own vehicle.  It's concerning, he says, since the neighborhood is usually very quiet.

"The back, the frame of the entire truck was up in the air. I had found a three-pound rock that had been thrown through the back windshield. We've been here for 16 years, and have had very few problems, almost non-existent," Weber said. "We've heard reports over the last several months of car break-ins, vandalism, that kind of thing on the farther east side and it seems to be migrating into this neighborhood. We're just, really would like to have the police do extra patrols through here for a good while to come."

Police tell 14 News the only reported act of vandalism on this street Sunday night was a stolen MP3 player.  

One resident says a neighbor is even planning to install a camera to try and find out who is responsible for the damage.

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