M-way blow-outs blamed on tyre slashers (From Witney Gazette)

M-way blow-outs blamed on tyre slashers

7:30am Wednesday 17th January 2007 in Witney

POLICE are linking two motorway tyre blow-outs with tyre-slashing attacks in Oxfordshire.

Police said two tyres had blown out on cars driving on motorways due to damage believed to have been suffered while the cars were parked in Finstock.

A senior officer said the potential danger caused was 'mind boggling'.

Tyres on three vehicles were slashed in High Street, Finstock, on Sunday night.

There were similar incidents in Hill Crescent, Finstock, between December 17 and 19 and in William Bliss Avenue, Chipping Norton, between December 17 and 18.

Chief Insp Dennis Evernden said: "I am keen to ensure that as many people as possible in the Finstock neighbourhood are aware of the ongoing spate of vehicle tyre slashing that is occurring during the night.

"We have now received many reports of tyres having been damaged and two reports have told us of tyres blowing out on motorway trips due to damage believed to have been suffered while the vehicles were parked in Finstock.

"The potential danger that the offenders are putting people in is just mind boggling in its severity and I want to work with the public to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

"I have deployed several uniformed officers to Finstock to do house-to-house enquiries and street engagement with the public for three purposes: "First, to ensure that as many people are made aware of the dangers that someone is putting them in and checking their vehicles before they start their journey.

"Second, to encourage people to park vehicles off the street and preferably in a garage if they have access to one.

"Third, to enable anyone with any information, however insignificant they may think it is, to give us that information so that we may deal with it appropriately."