Vandals go on smash spree

DOWNTOWN — Glendale police detectives say they have amassed significant evidence on the vandals who damaged nearly two dozen vehicles and smashed glass doors during the weekend at the Pacific Park Community Center, police said.

Witnesses said they saw a group of people kicking cars Sunday while walking on Riverdale Drive in south Glendale.

“It appears that there was a group of individuals that went on a vandalism spree,” Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Sixteen vehicles had their windows and windshields smashed along the same path that the group had traveled, according to police reports. Footprints were seen on the hood and windshield of one of the damaged vehicles.

Three glass doors at the community center at 501 S. Pacific Ave. were also smashed and cracked, with officers reporting shoe prints on some doors, indicating that the vandals had tried to kick them open.

“Fortunately, they didn’t get through the library doors,” said Cindy Cleary, the city’s library director.

That same day, vandals struck the neighborhood along Palmer Avenue and Mariposa Street.

Six other vehicles’ windshields were smashed, and some were tagged with graffiti.

The path of destruction didn’t stop in south Glendale.

Vandals smashed a window at the Starbucks at 919 S. Central Ave., where police found two metal bars and an emergency roadside hazard sign thrown in the same pile of broken window pieces.

The damage was estimated at

$2,000, according to police reports.

Police had received calls from residents about neighborhood disturbances, but Lorenz said resources were tapped to the limits with monitoring the massive Cruise Night event downtown and responding to other emergencies.

Detectives are pursing leads, Lorenz said.

“This is not something that we are going to let go,” he added.

Anyone who is helping the vandals hide or purposely withholding details about the incidents could be considered an accomplice, he said.

Anyone with information may call the Glendale Police Department at (818) 548-4840 or Glendale Crime Stoppers at (818) 507-7867.

To remain anonymous, call the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers’ line at (800) 222-TIPS.