BALTIMORE — A Vietnam veteran is shelling out thousands for car window repairs. He says someone keeps breaking them, and then he must pay to get them fixed. And these vandals don't seem intent on stealing anything, just causing destruction.
“It’s almost like being back in Vietnam. I'm sitting out here watching to see who comes past,” said Richard Jones Sr.
Jones is a longtime resident of Irvington, a Southwest Baltimore community. He's lived there for the last 30 years, but in the past two, he's had to keep watch.
“But it's just the wrong time, you know, it's just the wrong time,” Jones said.
He's been looking for the people who keep breaking his car windows. He says he spotted them once, three young boys who ran off when he tried to confront them.
“This is the rock they threw through this window,” Jones explained.
His three cars have been hit five times in the last two years and last Wednesday marked yet another incident when one of his car windows was shattered at around 2 p.m. “My wife called me and said, ‘They broke your window again.’ I said, ‘Damn it!’” Jones recounted.
The cost of repairs has been steep—about $500 per incident, money he hesitates to claim through insurance, fearing his policy will be canceled. Now, some of the damage remains unrepaired.
“I haven't got that one fixed, and I haven't got my son's car fixed. I just buried my son. It cost me $25,000,” Jones said.
And he doesn't know why they're doing this other than to cause destruction.
“They’re just throwing rocks at the cars and leaving. I don't understand that,” said Jones. “I don't have a lot of money, but I’ll be damned if I have to keep putting up with them breaking the windows in the cars, not only my cars, but the neighborhood.”
Jones isn't alone in his frustrations. In addition to his three police reports, neighbors in the area have filed at least 10 others. Last May, a row of cars parked on a nearby street was damaged.
“It was a major inconvenience, and $200 - $300 out of your pocket is a lot, and also just, the loss of peace and not knowing if they're going to come back again,” said a local resident who wished to remain anonymous due to safety concerns.
And they have. Driving around the Irvington neighborhood, you can see other car windows sealed with plastic and shattered glass on the road. The vandalism appears to rotate from one neighbor to the next.
“I just would like to see more of a police presence. I'd like to see maybe more officers on foot,” said the resident. “I just want to see that those of us who pay taxes and live here matter, that's what I want to see.”
Baltimore Police told WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii that Southwest District officers have conducted 1,092 business checks and 503 foot patrols in Irvington this year. They’ve pledged to increase patrols to help deter future incidents.
“I’m never going to get that money back, and I'm still on edge. I might come out here three or four times to sit out here just to see what's happening,” said Jones.
Despite having a Ring camera, it’s positioned too far from the street to capture the culprits.
In addition to the extra patrols, Baltimore Police said they’ll be attending the upcoming Irvington community meeting. They also encouraged residents to participate in the monthly Southwest District commander meetings.
The Irvington Community Association meets on the second Tuesday of each month. For more information on local police district meetings, click here.
Residents can also register their private security camera system with CitiWatch Community Partnership and receive rebates and vouchers up to $150. Residents can learn more here.