Abilene Police Seek Public’s Help in Solving Dozens of BB Gun Vandalisms

The Abilene Police Department is investigating a series of overnight vandalisms in the past few days. Victims are reporting damage to cars and local businesses, caused by BB and/or air guns in the overnight hours. Now, APD is asking for help from you to help solve this crime spree.

According to APD Information Officer George Spindler, the incidents are occurring at night, and in no specific section of Abilene. It has affected over 100 victims. While Abilene police are on the lookout, they are asking for the community to get involved. Spindler states, "We're not going to stand for this as a community, and so, if we work together, we should be able to get ahead of this, and hopefully solve this as quickly as possible." He continued, "Remaining alert, and realizing this behavior is occurring throughout all of Abilene. As I understand it right now, there's not one sector. This is a non-predictable crime. Hence the need for everybody to be alert."

So what can Abilene citizens do? The Abilene Police Department Facebook page, there are several actions we can take to make ourselves aware of the crimes:

1. REMAIN ALERT for this type of behavior. These crimes are occurring throughout Abilene and victims began reporting them to APD starting around 2 am.

2. REPORT OBSERVED KNOWN AND/OR SUSPICOUS ACTIVITY IMMEDIATELY if a citizen sees or hears activity that may be related to suspects discharging air guns/BB guns CALL 911 immediately!

It's so important that Dispatch receive your call Immediately--so don't hesitate to call 911 if you believe that the activity you have just observed or heard is involved in such lawlessness. Timely notification may make all the difference. Please obtain vehicle and suspect descriptions, possible number of occupants and the last known direction of the vehicle's travel. If you see what you believe is a suspect vehicle and get close enough to obtain a License Plate number, do your best to memorize the number, even a partial number, and as soon as APD answers your 911 call, relay that number without any hesitation to help ensure you don't forget that vital number.

3. CRIMES STOPPERS SHOULD BE CONTACTED Again, if You See/Hear It--Report It @ 911 IMMEDIATELY! But if you know who has committed these crimes and prefer to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at (325) 676-TIPS (8477). This rash of lawlessness is not a joke and is effecting real lives, by the dozens, in our community. It is felonious, senseless and deplorable behavior and we Need Community To Report What They Know. Please do Your part to report what you know and if you must do so anonymously, then contact Abilene Crime Stoppers now.

4. REVIEW RECORDED VIDEO SURVEILLANCE We're asking victims to review ANY video surveillance footage that they have, OR that their neighbors may have, where such footage captures possible suspects by means of an outdoor camera.

If you have tips or pertinent information about these criminal mischief incidents, including known video surveillance footage that could prove helpful, please contact APD at our non-emergency number: 325-673-8331.

If you suspect that you know someone who is involved in these crimes, Spindler adds, "If you're that person, we have a way for you to communicate. We need your information, not your name. Thank goodness we have Abilene Crime Stoppers (676-TIPS[8477]). Reach out to us. Do the right thing. You are part of the solution on this, and we need you to get involved and do your part."