Nanaimo RCMP are investigating two reports of lug nuts on vehicle tires being loosened maliciously this past week.
The two vehicles were parked in the same parking lot adjacent to the Serauxmen baseball stadium, located at 745- 3rd Street.
In one incident, a tire actually came loose while the vehicle — a blue 2008 Dodge Caliber — was being driven.
The vehicle owner said he parked his vehicle at 8:10 am then returned at 12:10 pm on Wednesday, March 10th.
When he drove out of the parking lot he noticed a strong vibration coming from the rear passenger side tire.
Just as he was bringing his vehicle to a stop, he watched in shock as the rear tire came loose and rolled almost 200 metres before coming to a rest.
The youth called his father and the two of them managed to retrieve the tire and safely secure it in place.
He then told his friends about his experience, and in doing so may have averted a second incident.
Another 17-year-old youth who also parked his vehicle in the same lot approached his black Ford F-150 and immediately checked the lug nuts, noticing his rear passenger tire had also been tampered with.
He secured them and safely drove off.
“These were extremely dangerous and malicious acts of vandalism that could have had tragic consequences, “said Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
Anyone with information on either of these incidents, or did not report their own loosened lug nuts, are asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.
