SAN DIEGO — San Diego police have arrested a man accused of vandalizing more than a dozen cars in multiple San Diego County communities.
Gianluca Abitianeves, 23, was arrested on May 16 and charged with 17 counts of felony vandalism. According to the San Diego Police Department, two witnesses called 911 after they saw Abitianeves prying the side mirrors of 17 cars. San Diego police officers responded and took Abitianeves into custody.
“Since Abitianeves’ arrest, nearly a dozen additional cases have surfaced and are believed to be related, going back as early as May 12,” San Diego police said.
According to San Diego police, the number of vandalized cars is unknown, but investigators estimate that 30-50 cars could have been damaged. In all of the known cases, the cars were vandalized in the same way; Abitianeves is believed to have pried the side mirrors from all the cars.
The communities known to be impacted by the vandalism spree are University City and La Jolla.
"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,” San Diego police said.
The San Diego Police Department requests the community’s help in reporting additional vandalism incidents.
- If you were a victim of this type of vandalism, call San Diego Police at (619) 531-2000, or a report may be filed online here.
- Anyone with information, evidence, or video is asked to call the San Diego Police Department or the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at (888) 580- 8477.
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