Arrest made after tires slashed in Marine Park, Brooklyn neighborhood

MARINE PARK (WABC) -- An arrest has been made in the slashing of tires early Sunday in Marine Park, Brooklyn.

Eduard Ivashcenko, 21, of Midwood, is charged with third-degree criminal possession a weapon and third-degree criminal mischief.

Police say that at least 71 cars had tires slashed, but they expect that number will end up being higher.

Police initially said they were looking for two men and one woman, but they now believe Ivashcenko is the only one responsible. No one else is being sought, and police don't believe anyone else will be charged.

Residents were reeling after walking out of their homes on Sunday morning to find hundreds of tires slashed.

"My dad was on the way to the car and then he started walking back," resident Jonathan Sidavi said. "I'm like 'why are you walking back?' He's like, 'Two of our tires are slashed.' Then we walked around, and there were other tires that were slashed."

Many of the homes in the neighborhood have surveillance cameras and were able to catch a glimpse of the suspect in action. The video shows him nonchalantly walking up to the cars and quickly puncturing a hole.

The neighborhood is primarily Jewish, and a City Council member David Greenfield, who talked to investigators Sunday morning, said police are taking the crime seriously.

"The Hate Crimes Task Force told us they're investigating this, they're taking a very close look, because obviously this is a predominantly Jewish neighborhood," Greenfield said. "We've had a number of slashings in front of synagogues."

Detectives tell Eyewitness News he had gotten into a fight with his mother and thought the best way to get back at her was to slash all their neighbors' tires.

Authorities no longer suspecting a racial attack, more like a family dispute which spilled out the front door, plus the suspect is also Jewish.

Police say they may never know the exact total of vehicles vandalized.

"Quite frankly, we may not know the full extent of it, because like I said, a lot of people are afraid to report it, either from retaliation, or concern or fear their insurance will go up," Greenfield adds.

The amount of damage is said to be in the thousands of dollars. Residents told Eyewitness News there was a line down the block to get new tires.

"We had to purchase two new tires on the way to the Bat Mitzvah, which is unfortunate," Sidavi said.

There may have also been a woman who was with the suspect during the slashings.

Homeowner Effie Tafrizi took video of the slashed tires before tow trucks took many of the cars away.

Courtesy: effi_9

Ivaschenko does not have a criminal record and no history of mental illness.