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Hummer vandal called 'eco-terrorist'

07:57 PM CDT on Thursday, September 18, 2008

By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA-TV

Video
Janet St. James reports
September 18, 2008

SOUTHLAKE — Tips keep pouring into Southlake police after releasing the now-infamous video of a gray-haired man using a key to vandalize a Hummer.

The crime was captured on the vehicle's own surveillance system, which had been installed because it had previously been defaced in a similar way.

There have been no arrests yet, but there is legitimate speculation that this could be a case of suburban eco-terrorism against a certain gas-guzzling SUV.

Police say they don't yet know the identity of the man videotaped using his key to gouge "X" marks into the side of a Hummer.

But the Classic Hummer dealership in Grapevine knows that mark well. Their body shop has seen dozens of similar vandalisms in recent months.

"This guy, he's an eco-terrorist, and he ought to pay for his crime," said dealership spokesman Steve Hurley. "I mean, it's a criminal act."

In each case, three "X"-marks are scratched into the vehicle — one on each side and another on the tailgate.

Danny Hill's H2 Hummer was struck. "The guy looked like in the video that he knew what he was doing," Hill said.

No one knows yet if the cluster of vandalism can be linked to a single man, or if it is the work of a group of tree-hugging Hummer-haters.

The vandalism alone is a serious crime that carries a hefty fine of up to $20,000 and possible jail time.

E-mail jstjames@wfaa.com

 

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