Man arrested for slashing tires on at least 20 cars in Largo, police say

LARGO, Fla. - Fourth of July celebrations ended with pricey repairs after a man went around and slashed tires on at least 20 cars in Largo Monday night. 

The Largo Police Department arrested Andrew Reardon, 29, with criminal mischief, and he was later booked into the Pinellas County Jail. Police said he is homeless and currently out on bond. 

Largo neighbor Kathy Hendricks spent her holiday watching fireworks. 

"People were setting off fireworks in the neighborhood here," said Hendricks. "I came out, and I was sitting with my neighbors here in the driveway over there having some fun."

Then, she noticed a man walking up around her neighbor’s car and going into mailboxes. She called the Largo Police Department then discovered she witnessed much more. 

"He wasn’t walking very well. He was very wobbly. Something was up, and he slashed a tire there, and slashed my husband’s tire and went down the street," said Hendricks. 

Neighbors said the suspect hit at least 21 cars along 115th and 116th streets. A Tesla owner said all four of his tires got slashed, costing him about $1,900. Hendricks said she and her husband found three cuts in a tire on her husband’s car.

"My husband had to go to work the next morning, and so I told him I would take him in. He tried to put the spare tire on, but that wasn’t blowing up enough," she said. "And a lot of other neighbors too, they were like ‘What do we do? We’ve got to deal with this.’"

Another vehicle damaged includes a 2007 Ford Mustang, which was a restoration project for Artur London.

"I started from nothing. I painted it, the whole body and did a lot of work on this car," said London.

He said he became a U.S. citizen a week ago, and the car damage was the last thing he expected to come home to after celebrating Independence Day.

"It’s pretty frustrating. I’m trying not to think about problems. I’m trying to look on the positive side like ‘Okay windows are not broken. He’s scratched only one hood, no fenders or anything else, only one tire.’" 

After getting quotes on fixing the damage Wednesday, he said it will cost him nearly $1,000. 

Neighbors said the feeling of shock and alarm remain.

"It’s going to be thousands out here. He did damage, and we’re not going get it back," said Hendricks.