I'm not sure how to handle this problem. This past week, someone has decided to key the paint on our minivan. Tuesday they got the passenger side, then Friday they got the drivers side. Nice deep scratches through the paint. I believe both happened at our apartment complex due to the fact that during the week our car sits in the parking lot all day and all night except for when I drop my wife off to work in the morning (she doesn't drive and gets a ride home everyday, plus I take the train to work).

Ugh, I wish there was something I could do to catch this gutless coward. I am afraid to go through the cost of having it repaired if this loser is just going to key it again. I can't think of anyone who we ticked off. We mind our own business, we're kind and pleasant to anyone we see or say hello to.

This Saturday we filed the police report. Besides that.. any ideas of what else I should do? We have a garage I can park the car in at the other side of the complex, but due to my wife's disability we have a handicapped parking spot by our walkway that we normally park in. Perhaps someone is mad at us for that? I shouldn't have to park our van in the garage every day and night just because some spineless gutless pathetic loser decides it's fun to mess with someone elses car. I would love to catch this jerk and have is butt hauled off to jail.

 

first, ya get a pellet gun, then ya get a nice beer, then ya sit at an open window in the dark and watch.

 

Sorry to hear about the keying problem.You don't have to do something to someone to make them key your van.There are just people out there that do mean things like that for no reason.If you have a cam corder maybe you could sit out in a dark window & do a little filming.

My bet is it is probably some teenagers with little else to do than harm other people property.

 

try a spy cam - caught on video = guilty

 

Put some cheap touch up paint on it so at night it looks like you had it done up all nice,and wait for him to come by,and introduce him to your good friend mr. Baseball bat

 

Yeah, I was thinking about a spy cam of some sorts. Still need a means of recording the perpetrator and probably need something setup for low light/life. That's probably about the only way you would catch someone in the act. I looked around as I walked down to the train and none of the other cars seemed to have their paint scratched, only ours.. which makes me think we are a target.. not some random thing.

The only person that comes to mind as a suspect was about 6 months ago, we had to call the cops on some piece of trash parked illegally in our 'spot'. They received a ticket and were almost towed (the towtruck was on it's way). They were apparently friends with some trashy girl that lives in the next building over. These people looked like real low-lifes. They got a nice $250 ticket to remember us by. I figure it was forgotten about since we never heard anything. I don't know if it adds up to anything but we did tell the police of that incident yesterday (they would have the records).

It just feels violating when there isn't much you can do and you don't know if it's 'over' yet? I just hope it doesn't escalate to more vandalism to our van.

 

Oh don't I wish.. that's what the spineless gutless cowardly wimp deserves.. but as good as it would feel to beat them senseless with Mr. Louisville Slugger, they aren't worth going to jail over.

 

well if he's doing this in the middle of the night, no ones gonna see you or mr. louisville slugger. I know if i saw someone keying my truck they'd meet mr louisville slugger and MR. size 11.5 left and 11.5 right Nike. I'd stay up and wait on him. I'd leave some paintballs in the freezer for a bit and crank up the power.

 

Catching the dirtbag on camera would be best and they do make low light cameras. This would pose 2 problems , 1) the cameras usually need to be within 30 feet of the target and 2) could you run the cable and keep the cam hidden from view. I have several around the perimiter of the house but I think you said you are in an apt complex which would make it difficult.
They do make wireless cameras that transmit to a receiver in your home but the range is less than 1000 feet under optimal conditions. you could power them inside the vehicle (one on each side) and hope for the best. It will be a little expensive but less than the repair of your vehicle plus you get the satisfaction of catching them and putting an end to it all.

 

Instead of painting you might use crayons of the right color to fillin the scratches and then watch to see if that brings the slimeball out. Of course the crayon can be used as a temporary fix until the slime looses interest too.

You can't legally harm the chump but if you could get a good snapshot or video, well... Alternatively, did you know that superglue on paint is really nasty stuff? It eats right thru paint down to bare metal. It cannot be cleaned off except by sanding down to bare metal. A member of another group I was in had this happen to him once. Of course doing this to the slime would also be wrong, but it sure would feel good.

Course if you caught the guy in the act, I would let the police have the evidence, pictures or witnesses will work. I really hate these kinds of cowards, and fear what would happen to me if I ever caught one in the act.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

If you know who did it, plan a method of getting him in the act. Best of all - let him be doing it with the neighbors aware of the issue. GET A TAG NUMBER!


The bottom line is ID'ing the man to the crime

(Neighborhood watch - MAYBE)

PS: If I was in the area, I'd take the sucker to the trash....

 

I wouldn't rule out the person that was giving you trouble six months ago. Did you hear about the Washington Crossing, PA. man that was gunned down and killed at his front door Easter Day?? The killer had stewed about an offhand, possibly racist remark made 7 years ago, tracked the victim down, and shot him 7 years later! I am not saying you are in mortal danger, but wackos act in mysterious ways.

 

How many handicapped spots are there to park in, in total? Is it a public handicapped spot and you are depriving guests a place to park, or is it included with your apartment? It doesn't sound like you should be parking there if you have your own parking spot in the apartment garage. It might be someone else in the building, how busy does that parking lot get? Why not just walk to get the van from the garage every night and let your wife feel pampered that you chaffuer her around?

I would prefer to park my vehicle in a garage out of the elements, and most apartment garages I have been to have a locking gate to prevent auto crime.

I have lived in the suburbs for a little while and neighbors get ticked if you have guests parked on the public street in front of their house, I think the same principal applies here, unless you pay for that spot or are entitled to it with the apartment, go park it in the garage and walk off dinner when you chaffuer the wife

 

Are there any kind of political bumper stickers on it? Is it a full size? There are people here who were keying and otherwise vandalizing cars with pro-Bush stickers when they were in voting... There are also those freaks that think that because it's a full size van it's a gas guzzler and polluter.

 

Parking is pretty tight where we are, but we did request the spot from our landlord. While it doesn't have our name on it, we are the only tenants who use the spot. Other cars that have handicapped placards have spots by their respective buildings by request. If the tenant moves, the sign is removed and it goes back to a standard parking space.. first come first serve.

She will be getting her license soon as she only has a few weeks left in her driving lessons at Kessler rehab. The van will become hers and I'll be searching for another daily driver (unless my truck becomes my daily driver). She'll then need the spot 24/7. The garage is something extra I pay for, since there aren't too many before. It's a 2 or 3 year waiting list to get one. It used to house my 64 cadillac, but that's since been sold (on the look for another classic).

The only things we have on the van in terms of 'political' is a 'Support our Troops' magnetic ribbon and a breast cancer ribbon. One of our close friends husband died in Iraq serving our country and two of my cousins are over there serving and another friend we knew died of breast cancer.. so the ribbons stay. There are no other stickers or markings on the vehicle (plus only 20-30 other cars have ribbons as well).

The van is not a full size. It's your typical minivan.