SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego Police Department says the man it arrested earlier this week for stealing 17 side mirrors from cars in the University City area may be responsible for the recent vandalism of up to 50 vehicles.
SDPD arrested 23-year-old Gianluca Abitianeves on 17 counts of felony vandalism early Tuesday morning after two witnesses saw him pry out side mirrors from 17 vehicles.
Officers responded to the 4100 block of Nobel Drive around 3:30 a.m. on May 16 after the witnesses called 911, according to the department. They promptly arrested Abitianeves when they saw him nearby holding a bunch of mirrors.
SDPD says since the arrest, nearly a dozen more cases dating back to May 12 have surfaced, and officers believe Abitianeves was the perpetrator.
RELATED: Man accused of stealing over a dozen vehicle side mirrors in University City
"Some of these cases involve damage done to only one vehicle, while other cases are for multiple vehicles," the press release says. "In all of these cases, the same type of vandalism was committed, where the suspect pried out the side mirror from the vehicle."
According to police, the investigation shows the number of cars that had their side mirrors snatched may range from 30 to 50 vehicles.
Police could not calculate the total cost of damage, since most of the victims are still getting their cars fixed. However, the price to repair the cars ranges from a few hundred dollars to nearly $3,000 depending on the vehicle's make and model and what year it was manufactured.
The vandalism sprees happened in University City and La Jolla. If you were also a victim of or witnessed a side mirror theft, SDPD is asking you to report the vandalism, especially if you have video evidence.
You can file your report online or call the department at 619-531-2000.
