Liberal MLA Giulia Jones has renewed her call for the government to deliver overdue justice to the notorious Narrabundah tyre slasher, who has been dubbed "the Grim Reaper of rubber".
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She introduced a petition of 270 signatures to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday calling on the ACT government to commit more resources to nabbing the mysterious slasher, who has escaped capture for more than two decades.
Ms Jones said the slasher – who has become an urban crime legend – had been causing havoc in the inner south for decades and Canberrans continued to voice their concerns and fears of vandalism.
"I have spoken to many residents, some who have had their cars and property vandalised more than 10 times by this criminal," she said.
"It simply isn’t good enough that this offender continues to attack the personal property of residents of Narrabundah and Griffith."
Ms Jones has been personally affected by the tyre tormentor’s reign of terror.
Her sister, Lucia MacFarlane of Narrabundah, was targeted two – or possibly three – times in 2013.
The person is known to keep a strict schedule working on evenings between Thursdays and Sundays.
The slasher is known to disappear for a few months only to return to the unsuspecting streets of south Canberra without warning.
Narrabundah resident of 10 years Alan Johnson feared the worst when the slasher re-emerged in June last year.
"Lock up your daughters," he said with a knowing look at the time. "That car can’t be driven here with those tyres – I’d say he’s back."
Ms Jones said Police Minister Simon Corbell had had many opportunities to make the capture of the south Canberra tyrant a high priority but he had failed to do so.
"It’s an indictment on the government that a petition has to be circulated to bring this issue again to Mr Corbell’s attention," she said.
In September last year, Mr Corbell revealed the police raided a suspect’s home in April but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the suspect.
Ms Jones said in September that sufficient police resources needed to be committed to stopping the crime.
"You go to bed at night unsure what's going to become of your car by the next morning. It feels like an invasion of your private space," she said.
"People shouldn't have to live like that."
A spokesman from MrCorbell’s office said the matter was being treated seriously by ACT Policing and investigations were ongoing.
