Dangerous tire spikes are puncturing drivers' tires in Pittsburgh area, police say
Police are asking for help figuring out where the caltrops, a spiked metal device designed to puncture tires and cause damage, are coming from. Several people in Brackenridge told KDKA that the objects have damaged their tires.
"We came home from the park, stopped the car, opened the door, and when we opened it, we could hear a hiss," Brett Cote said. "When I got out of the car, there was a little metal piece poking out of the tire that was pretty big. ... Just watched the tire deflate over an hour until it was completely flat. I'm not sure exactly where we got it."
Cote said they didn't think much of it, and it only cost them about $30 to patch it up.
"We actually didn't even realize what it was until we saw the police report," he said.
The Tarentum Borough Police Department alerted the public on social media Tuesday, saying it has received reports and confirmed physical evidence of the metal spikes being thrown on the streets in the area of First Avenue and Brackenridge Avenue.
"Immediately, it was like an 'aha' moment. I looked at the caltrop picture that they sent in the police report, and it literally felt like I was looking back at my tire," said Cote.
Police say caltrops thrown on the road are a serious risk, as they can flatten tires and cause crashes.
Emily Jones told KDKA she had to get one of her tires replaced after running over a caltrop last week. Right after she did, Jones said she ran over another one and ruined her new tire. She thinks it happened on First Avenue.
As for Cote, he hopes the dangerous devices weren't purposely placed on the streets. He's glad no one was hurt and the damage to his car wasn't too bad.
"It's super frustrating, but could have been much worse. We're lucky we made it home, didn't get a flat tire while we were out," he said.
Anyone with information about who is placing caltrops on the streets or where they're coming from is asked to call Tarentum police at 412-473-3056.
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