Photos by Mary Lee
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the destruction of three vehicles by fire and the vandalism of 20 other vehicles in Aptos. According to Sgt. Kelly Kent, three cars, two on Aptos Beach Drive and one on the 400 block of Townsend Drive, were torched using emergency road flares and gasoline.
Early Sunday morning, November 23 at 5:30 a.m., Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to a vehicle fire on Townsend Drive in Aptos. Deputies located two cars on fire on Townsend and another car on fire on Aptos Beach Drive. While officers were canvassing the area more damaged vehicles were discovered on Townsend, Cliff, Bonita and Seacliff Drive with broken windshields or dented hoods, all believed connected to the same vandalism spree. Also along the route of destruction, deputies found several mailboxes that had been damaged.
It is estimated that the vandals struck between 4 and 5:30 a.m. that Sunday. Deputies searching the charred vehicles found that road flares had been shoved into some gas tanks, while others had been drenched with highly flammable liquid from hand-held gas cans. According to Kelly investigators recovered gas cans, burnt flares, and a broken bat.
Areas invaded by the vandals included: Cliff Drive, the 500 block of Sumner Drive, three locations on Seacliff Drive, the 200 block of Mirada Drive, the 100 block of Oakdale Drive, the 400 block of Townsend Drive, and San Andreas Road. All of the targeted vehicles had been parked along residential streets. The total estimated damage is at least $100,000. Sgt. Kent said that there were some non-vandalized vehicles that had been broken into and valuable items stolen.
The Sheriff’s Office is encouraging anyone with information regarding the identity of the suspect(s) to call Sheriff’s Office dispatch at (831) 471-1121 or Sgt Esther Beckman (831) 454-2311.
