Tire slasher damaging Ephraim vehicles
Robert Stevens
Managing editor
9-8-2016
EPHRAIM—A $500 cash reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a serial tire slasher who has caused thousands of dollars in damage to vehicles parked in Ephraim City.
“Someone is walking around at night slashing tires at random,” Ephraim Police Chief Ron Rasmussen said. “It started last fall, died down and started back up with school again, but it has happened all over town, not just on the Snow campus.”
“I can’t tell you all the stuff we are currently doing to catch them, because it would tip them off, but we have definitely beefed up patrols. We have also reached out onto social media to try and get the public’s help, and are offering a reward.”
Ephraim City is offering a $300 reward for information on the slasher, and Snow College is offering $200, making a total of $500 to anyone who can help point the police in the right direction.
“Like other members of the community we are very concerned about the incidents of tire slashing that have occurred in Ephraim,” Snow College President Gary Carlston said. “We value the safety of our students and community members; it is a top priority for us.”
Carlston continued, “Our public safety officers are working diligently with the Ephraim City Police Department to resolve this situation, and we thank them for their efforts. Our campuses foster a ‘see something, say something’ atmosphere, and we encourage all students and citizens to report any information or suspicious activity.
“This is why we are participating with Ephraim City Police Department in jointly offering a $500 reward for information that leads to apprehending the person or persons involved in these criminal actions.”
Dave and Carol Thompson had not one, but both of their vehicles vandalized in such a manner. “Our cars were sitting side-by-side, outside of our house, which is at 100 East and 100 South, and someone walked right between the two cars and stabbed something sharp into the sidewall of the tires,” Carol Thompson said.
“Someone is sick here and has a problem. More than anything I felt bad for them that they would do something like that.”
Thompson told the Messenger that even if their insurance covered the tire damage, they would still have to shell out at least $100 per car for deductibles.
“We found two perfectly good used tires, right here in Ephraim instead,” Thompson said.
The acts have vandalism have stirred up a wave of Facebook posts, many of them from students trying to help get the word out.
Stormy Dorsey posted, “Tires cost a lot, and whoever is doing this is really hurting many families in our community! They are taking someone’s ability to get to work, appointments, etc and causing them to have to buy new tires. Please, keep your eyes open and let Ephraim City Police know if you see anything suspicious.”
