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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — Good neighbors try to mend fences while police are looking for teenagers that love breaking them.
A Cottonwood Heights man's fence has been vandalized 14 times over the past year and a half or so, and it has cost him thousands of dollars in repairs. Now the culprits have been caught, at least on video.
"There are probably 30 different slats right along here that are broken and have to be replaced," James Tidwell said, gesturing to his damaged vinyl fence.
Tidwell is frustrated. And after seeing surveillance video of his yard near 6500 South Bouchelle Lane, he's downright mad. The video shows what appears to be two teenage girls deliberately charging and breaking through his fence.
"We really need your help as far as identifying these people and stopping the action they are taking, because it is completely out of hand. It's gone beyond fun," Tidwell said.
In fact, Tidwell's fence has been kicked in or vandalized 14 times now.
"There doesn't appear to be any particular reason why they are targeting this residence," said Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Mark Askerlund.
After watching the surveillance video, police wonder if it is a group of teenagers who do it for the thrill or on a dare.
"These two young girls get out, they line up in the middle of the road, and do a full on run towards the fence and hit it with their body, break through the slats, climb back through the hole and get in the car and drive off," Askerlund explains.
Tidwell has to immediately fix the fence each time, to protect his dogs in the backyard and to keep young children away from his swimming pool. He wants the vandals to ask themselves this simple question.
"Imagine it being your home, your residence, your parents putting up with the same thing," Tidwell said, "and then see what you would think of that?"
Tidwell is considering a reward for information about the vandals. You can contact the Cottonwood Heights Police Department at 801-840-4000 if you have any information on the car or the vandals themselves.
Email: spenrod@ksl.com
