Nails Found on Slide at Playground

A father who inspected a Mission Viejo playground before allowing his children to play there discovered nails strategically placed along the slides, the latest location where sharp objects have been found.

The father, who has a 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, searched the equipment at Carl H. Hankey Elementary School about 1:40 p.m. Sunday and found nine construction nails on a yellow slide and in the sand around it. Police scoured the park before classes began Monday and found four more nails.

This week’s findings marked the fifth time in about two weeks that nails and single-edged razor blades have been found in playgrounds and tot lots in south Orange County.

The park, used mostly by kindergartners, was last inspected Friday by school officials who have conducted daily searches since the rash of findings began April 28, said Cheryl Spetrino, principal at Hankey. Nothing was found Friday, she said.

Deputies also found a set of footprints, probably belonging to a male adult, said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

He said the nails were heavier than those recently found at parks in Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach and Mission Viejo.

“It’s hard to tell if they’re connected or if we have somebody who sees all the publicity and becomes a copycat,” Amormino said.

“The investigation is a very difficult one,” he said. “There’s not a lot of evidence, and we don’t have a lot of witnesses. It’s virtually impossible to watch the parks 24 hours a day.”

So far, no one has been injured, but no one is taking chances. Parents are checking the slides and sandboxes. The school custodian at Hankey raked the ground four inches deep in search of sharp objects. Beginning today, all playgrounds in the Capistrano Unified School District will be checked daily with metal detectors.

Joe Thielen, 9, said the discoveries won’t prevent him from playing in the sand.

“You will be careful, won’t you?” asked his mother, Sammi Thielen, 43, of Mission Viejo.

Looking around, Joe said: “This is a weird day.”