Paso Robles police are investigating a wave of vandalism involving caltrops – small metal spikes designed to puncture tires – that have been deliberately placed on public roads. The department says it has documented more than 40 incidents since April, and a new wave of reports began this week.
On Monday night, both an ambulance and a tow truck were disabled after hitting the devices. The ambulance had been responding to a call for service and had to be replaced with another unit, according to a Paso Robles Police Department press release. No patients were injured.
Sgt. Joshua Hermanson, described the devices as roughly one inch long, four-pronged and similar in shape to a child’s jacks game but with sharpened tips. They're typically made of raw steel and blend in easily with the road.
“You probably don’t even see them but they’re pretty nasty,” Hermanson said. “They go right through a tire, and you’re going to feel it and hear it.”
Hermanson said the spikes often cause slow leaks rather than sudden blowouts, but the damage is unmistakable.
“These aren’t like nails where you hear a little click-click. These are solid pieces of metal, and a good portion is still sticking out after it punctures,” he said. “You’ll hear it, and you’ll definitely feel it.”
So far, the investigation has turned up few leads. Hermanson said the department is monitoring social media reports, such as those on the Nextdoor app, in addition to official complaints.
“We’re really reaching out to the community to help. We’ve had a few vague vehicle descriptions, but no solid motive or suspect,” he said.
The caltrops have appeared in clusters, most frequently along Creston Road and the Riverside/Black Oak area. However, incidents have been reported across the city and even on county roads outside Paso Robles.
“It comes in waves,” Hermanson said. “We’ll go a few weeks with nothing, and then all of a sudden, we’ll get five or six people calling saying they’ve hit them.”
Police advise anyone who strikes a caltrop to safely pull over and report the incident immediately. Officers may be able to canvass the area and recover more of the devices before they cause further damage.
Motorists can file a report by calling (805) 237-6464 or submitting one online at prcity.com.
Those with information may also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (805) 549-STOP or by texting “SLOTIPS” plus a message to CRIMES (274637). A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
“It's severely inconvenient. It's dangerous,” Hermanson said. “And it's causing a lot of, a lot of property damage. I mean, tires are expensive.”