JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The person behind the recent vandalism spree in one Baymeadows neighborhood is at it again, leaving residents frustrated and concerned.
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Action News Jax reporter Annette Gutierrez was at the Belle Rive Club Apartment Complex, where neighbors woke up to more slashed tires on Saturday morning.
Residents reported that nearly 10 cars were vandalized on Friday night, marking another incident in a series of tire slashings in the area. Property managers tell the community that they are actively working to address the issue.
Earlier in the day, a maintenance team was seen installing additional lights at the complex to enhance visibility and security.
Laurel Galvin, a Belle Rive resident, expressed her fear due to the darkness in the area, stating, “It’s dark back here. So yes, it’s scary even getting out of your car.”
Galvin, who has lived in the complex for about a year, now finds herself feeling unsafe, especially after discovering her slashed tires on Saturday morning.
“I’m from just south of Philly. So I’ve seen a lot, but nothing like this,” Galvin said, adding that the recent incidents may prevent her from visiting family during the holidays.
“I literally was just upstairs in tears because I feel trapped. I know it’s the holidays; I was supposed to go back home for the holidays. I don’t know if that’s going to happen now. Because if they don’t cover, I’m paying out of pocket again for tires.”
This wave of vandalism is not an isolated event. Action News Jax obtained the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office calls for service list for the complex over the last 60 days, revealing multiple police responses to vandalism calls, mainly between November 8th and 11th.
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The recent incident on Friday night adds to the growing list of tire slashings in the neighborhood.
Roman Pidhorodeckyj, another Belle Rive resident, noted that he and his neighbors installed surveillance cameras to catch the perpetrator, but the darkness makes it challenging to capture anything.
“Terrible, I’m in a worse condition I’ve ever been in,” Pidhorodeckyj expressed his frustration.
With rent due soon and the financial burden of repairing slashed tires, residents find themselves in a difficult situation. Many can’t afford to fix their tires, pay rent, and visit their families for the holidays.
Pidhorodeckyj shared, “If it wasn’t for my neighbor, helping me out, getting her to work, and getting myself to work every day with her car that hasn’t been affected yet, I don’t even know where I’d be living next month.”
Action News Jax reached out to the property manager, who stated that efforts were being made to resolve the problem.
A community meeting will be hosted to discuss the ongoing issue tomorrow night.
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