A 12-year-old has been charged after up to 70 vehicles may have been damaged in a rash of overnight tire-slashes, Barrie police say.
“He was in the area of St. Vincent Street, Queen Street, Penetang Street, Collier Street and Mulcaster Street, so he was out for quite a while doing this, and he wreaked a fair bit of havoc on those neighbourhoods,” Peter Leon, the Barrie Police Service’s corporate communications co-ordinator, told Global News.
Leon said the police service is still receiving calls about the tire slashes.
“The detective who was assigned to it this morning has been on it all day,” Leon added.
“We got the call just after 5 o’clock in the morning and located the person responsible a short distance away.”
The 12-year-old has been charged with mischief, and police say additional charges are pending.
“We’re looking at an awful lot of tires,” Leon said. “We’re looking at tens of thousands of dollars in costs for tires alone — not to mention the labour and the towing that’s going to be required as well.”
The child was released with a future court date to the custody of his parents.
Anyone who’s been a victim can contact Const. Casey of the Barrie Police Service at mcasey@barriepolice.ca.