Photo: Vandalism images | Courtesy of San Diego PD
Originally posted by San Diego Police Department Facebook
“Our Northern Division detectives arrested a man believed to be responsible for more than a dozen vandalism incidents spanning several communities. On May 16th, Gianluca Abitianeves (23) was arrested on 17 counts of felony vandalism. Two witnesses saw him pry out the side mirrors from 17 vehicles. These witnesses called 9-1-1. SDPD officers responded and took Abitianeves into custody at the scene.
Since Abitianeves’ arrest, nearly a dozen additional cases have surfaced and are believed to be related, going back as early as May 12th. Some of these cases involve damage done to only one vehicle, while other cases are for multiple vehicles. In all of these cases, the same type of vandalism was committed, where the suspect pried out the side mirror from the vehicle. The current total number of damaged vehicles is unknown, but investigators estimate the number could range from 30 to 50 vehicles. The total cost of the damage is unknown as most of the victims are still in the process of getting their vehicles repaired. But the price to repair each vehicle currently ranges from a few hundred dollars to nearly $3,000, depending on the make and model of the vehicle.
The communities currently known to be impacted by this vandalism spree are University City and La Jolla. SDPD is asking for the community’s help in reporting additional incidents, whether you are a victim, a witness, or have video evidence.
Please see the attached photographs for a few examples of this unique style of vandalism.
Additional victims may call (619) 531-2000, or a report may be filed online at https://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/file-police-report.
Anyone with information is asked to call the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000 or the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at (888) 580- 8477.
We appreciate any assistance that can be provided.”
