Des Moines neighborhood hit with spate of brake-slashing
Feb 26, 2021, 5:33 AM
Imagine getting in your car in the morning and starting to drive down a hill, only to discover that you have no way to brake.
That’s the terrifying reality some car owners have faced this week in Des Moines, where brake lines have reportedly been cut underneath at least 33 cars in the streets around Highline College.
Des Moines Police Sergeant Dave Mohr said this has been happening at night, and takes less than a minute, according to footage from security cameras.
“[The perpetrator] kind of looks right, looks left, walks around to the passenger side of the vehicle, then very quickly goes forward, drops down onto his shoulder, then with some type of cutting instrument, slides underneath the vehicle and cuts the brake line,” Mohr said.
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Based on the footage and the similarity in the crimes, it appears to be the same person, but video images have not been clear enough to give any identifying characteristics.
Sedro-Woolley resident Spike Hoskinson says this happened to his aunt, who lives in the targeted neighborhood. She realized something was wrong with the brakes before she turned the car on, but he is worried that another victim may get into a deadly crash.
“This is very dangerous because, obviously, if you have no brakes, you could kill yourself or somebody else,” Hoskinson said.
A neighbor of his aunt started driving after her brake lines were cut, and began careening downhill.
“She went down the road, and they live on a big hill off of 240th, right by Highline College, that we used to sled down when we were kids — it’s that steep,” Hoskinson said. “She got out there and was able to get her car under control, but it’s obviously a very dangerous form of vandalism.”
Thankfully, no one has been hurt so far.
The impact on their pocketbooks has been a different story — brake lines are an expensive repair, especially without comprehensive coverage.
Mohr says that unlike the recent spate of catalytic converter thefts, in which people sell the car parts as scrap metal, there is no financial gain to cutting brake lines.
“We’re not sure what the true motive is,” he said.
Mohr and Hoskinson can only guess that the perpetrator may be getting some sort of thrill at the thought of potentially causing car accidents.
“If this person is doing it for thrills, he’s probably bragging to somebody,” Hoskinson said. “So someone knows, and they just need to understand that this isn’t a joke, this is actually dangerous. You could be killing people.”
Mohr recommends people in the Highline College area park in a garage if they can, and put up a security system to deter the suspect.
Before you start your car, you should make sure your brakes are still intact. Never drive a vehicle that may have damaged brakes.
“Check around your vehicle to make sure you don’t see any fluids on the ground, which typically would happen if your brake line was cut,” Mohr said. “Your brake pedal also may feel soft.”
He asks people to be vigilant in their neighborhood, especially during nighttime hours. If you see anything suspicious, call 911 and report it immediately.
Anyone with any information about these crimes should call the Des Moines Police Department.
