More Razor Blades, Still No Suspect

For a month now, someone has been lurking in the shadows of several Newport Beach and Costa Mesa parks, slipping single-edged razor blades around swings, sandboxes and slides.

Seven razor blades in five parks have been reported so far--most by parents playing with their children. No one’s been cut, but the frightening series of discoveries has wounded the communities’ psyche and sense of safety.

Many parents are restricting their kids to backyard play, and dog owners too are avoiding the parks. Residents as well as city workers are scouring the grass and sand in search of more blades while police hunt for the culprit.

It’s a whodunit that has detectives stumped. The blades yielded no fingerprints. Bloodhounds traced a scent, so police believe the cases are connected. But beefed-up surveillance of local playgrounds has yet to produce a suspect.

“It could be someone who’s homeless. It could be a teenager. It could be anyone. We just don’t know,” said Costa Mesa police Lt. Dale Birney.

It’s the very randomness of the acts that has frayed nerves so much, compounded last week by the discovery of blades at a third Costa Mesa playground, Lions Park, and at Bolsa Park in Newport Beach. Blades previously were found at Newport’s Marina Park and at Heller and Pinkley parks in Costa Mesa.

“The park is where we go, walk our dogs, where our kids play. . . . To have this random violence take place is very disturbing,” said Costa Mesa Councilwoman Karen Robinson, who usually lets her dog roam the parks.

The concern is enough to keep Vicki Farrell and her 6-year-old son, Tyler, at home for a while.

“It’s scary,” said Farrell, who normally takes her son to Heller Park, the first place blades were found. “I think for right now, I’ll kind of cool it until things calm down.”

For those who do continue to visit the playgrounds, the blades are the topic of nervous chatter.

“It’s the first thing they say, and they all say the same thing, ‘Did you hear?’ ” said Marti Rydzynski of Costa Mesa, who was played with her 5-year-old daughter, Amanda, and two other children at Heller Park. “It’s sick. . . . You wonder what type of person would do something like that.”

On Friday, residents offered a reward of at least $2,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. If caught, the person or persons responsible could face charges of attempted assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

Experts aren’t surprised by the community’s reaction.

“It makes us feel more vulnerable because it’s random and it can happen at any time, for any reason and for not anything that we did,” said Carl Shubs, a Beverly Hills psychologist and chairwoman of the victim-treatment panel of the Los Angeles County Psychological Assn. “It makes us all feel at risk and having the potential to be the next victim. It’s hidden so we don’t know where it’s coming from or how to protect ourselves.”

Police officials said the case has proved difficult to crack in part because it’s so unusual. The parks are accessible, making it easy for anyone to drop the blades without looking suspicious.

“Just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else happens,” Birney said. “It’s not just that a child could be injured, but [they could] pick these things up, put them in their pocket, stick them in their mouth.”

Not all parents and children are staying away from the targeted parks.

Mike Leis of Newport Beach said he’s going to continue bringing his children--Matt, 4, and Megan, 3--to Heller Park. He’s just careful to check the slides, swings and climbing equipment.

“It’s a good neighborhood park--I like bringing my kids here, and nothing like this has ever happened before,” Leis said. “I think it’s just some juvenile delinquents trying to cause some trouble, cause a ruckus, but I do hope they find them and they get in trouble. It’s a shame to see this kind of thing happen.”