WEST HAVEN -- Police departments across the state have been dealing with a large number of vehicle break-ins over the last year or so, but, as West Haven police responded to car crimes of a different sort late last night.
Police say nearly a dozen cars were reported to have been vandalized. "My neighbor was knocking on the door and he said his window was broken out and he said your window was broken out too," said Tashema Fidalgo, a longtime resident of Richard St.
Her husband was taping up a rear window Monday morning And the Fidalgo family has become all too familiar with vehicle vandalism. "I've actually sat here and watched somebody just drive by and knocked the mirror right off the car and keep on going," said William Fidalgo.
The Fidalgo's vehicle has been vandalized at least three times over the last several years. His mother in law lives with the family. "My mom said that she did hear BB shots at 2 AM in the morning," said Tashema Fidalgo. "But, she said she wasn't going outside for any gunshots."
The apparent BB gun sound seems right on target based on hole in the rear driver side window of Richard St. resident's car. "My husband went to go to the compost pile this morning and he heard glass in the back, in the backseat and he looked and that's when he found that," said Stephanie Lessard, pointing to what appeared to be a BB hole.
Police had reports from four or five different neighborhoods of the same sort of vandalism last night. One car even had its gas cap stolen. "What was people thinking," queried Tandra Fidalgo. "What can they take? Gas?"
She said she started her car and it didn't appear any fuel had been siphoned out. Another resident of Richard St. says his wife found a police officer's business card on her front window this morning. The rear driver side window was smashed out.
"These people with nothing better to do except ride around at 3 a.m. and break windows," said Art Tynes, shaking his head. "I prefer sleeping at night."