Hundreds of tacks, tire spikes found on trail behind New Jersey elementary school
Police are trying to figure out who put hundreds of tacks and tire spikes on a trail behind an elementary school in New Jersey.
The trail is used by people who walk their dogs and cyclists, and police say the tacks and the spikes were meant to do harm.
"It's a really dangerous thing, and it's a sick thing"
More than 1,200 tacks and tire spikes were discovered this week on a wooded trail that sits next to a Verona apartment building and behind Brookdale Avenue Elementary School.
"Anything from push pin-type devices to stars that were made of metal that when dropped on the ground would always point upright," Verona Police Captain Dave Wardrope said. "In our opinion, it was intentionally placed there to penetrate bike tires."
"It could be a neighbor. At this point, it could be anybody," Verona Police Lt. Tim Banta said.
Mother Chelsea Wright was part of a group who reported the incidents, which included a tack penetrating someone's shoe.
"It's a really dangerous thing, and it's a sick thing," she said.
"It's extremely scary. It's very disturbing," parent Alana Durk said.
"What kind of person would actually do this?"
Seven-year-old Louis Filoso and his friends unknowingly rode their bikes over them.
"Our tires popped," Louis said. "It made a loud noise."
"My cousin, her tire popped because of the nails," said Holly Filoso, Louis' sister. "I was just scared somebody could get hurt."
Local bike shop owner Andrea Smith and others are warning the community about the sharp objects that can easily be bought online.
"What kind of person would actually do this? And knowing that there are people, there are children going through," Smith said.
"Just sheer spite, maybe a dislike of bikers. Maybe they feel like these are their trails," said Aaron Schwartz, with the Essex Off Road Mountain Bike Team.
Police say they have leads and the person responsible could face charges, including criminal mischief and endangering another person.