KANSAS CITY, Mo. – There’s damage and danger after a string of vandalism incidents in the Northland. Damage estimates are approaching $30,000 but what worries police most is a potential danger to drivers.
Huge hay bales and cattle have ended up in the roadways and police say an accident is inevitable. Police are fed up with the damage and want those responsible caught. They aren’t alone, a farmer’s land is bearing the brunt of the damage and he wants them picked up too.
Wayne Steinmeir has enough to do every day without ‘help’ from vandals.
“We had it last weekend, down by Hodge, someone cut the fence and let out cattle out and there were three head of cattle out on right by Shoal Creek and 96th street,” Stienmeir said.
It may not sound like a big deal, but it could be.
“You got a 1,000-1,500 pound animal in the road and they hit it, there’s going to be some damage,” Steinmeir said.
Not only are cattle getting out, so are huge hay bales. Fencing wire has been cut on many occasions. On Shoal Creek Road, three bales were pushed out of the field and into the road and rolled down a hill.
Police said the culprits are people on ATVs and are causing police reports to pile up. But the issue isn’t only on Steinmeir’s property. Shoal Creek and Hodge Park golf courses, both city-owned, have been targeted by the same vandals.
“Each time one of these four-wheelers goes across the green and tears the property up, you know it’s thousands of dollars,” Sgt. Danny Graves with the Kansas City Police Department said.
Sgt. Graves said it’s not cool and it’s not funny. It’s illegal and the dollar amount on the damages is now in the felony range, making jail time possible.
Steinmeier hopes those responsible will be caught and in the meantime realize exactly what they’re doing to him.
“It’s the same as us going in their backyard and cutting their yard fence, or going in backyard and letting dog off the leash or going in their yard and ‘farming’ their yard,” Steinmeier said.
Police are hoping someone in the area knows who the vandals are or who they could be, they want you to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS. If leads and tips aren’t generated, Sgt. Graves said that cameras may go up to catch the vandals in the act.
