Donald Williams’ family’s pool has been slashed twice this summer and patched up. His great niece, 5, loves to swim in the pool. NewsWorks Photo/Kimberly Paynter

There’s no better way to spend a steamy summer day than cooling off in the pool. But some Northeast Philadelphia residents are out of luck — their above-ground pools stand empty or half-full in their front yards, victims of a slasher’s recent spree.

This is the sort of crime that can send neighbor’s suspicions on a tear.

Donald Williams says neighbors are circulating theories about who’s behind the pool slashings.

One woman “saw some people get out of a white SUV,” he says. “In a white SUV, they pulled up. And she saw them get out of it with butcher knives and come up and slice the pool and left.”

The Mayfair Town Watch released a statement on the slashings today:

“The Mayfair Town Watch is concerned about the recent pool slashings on the 3100 block of Hellerman Street, and we are committed to working with the neighbors, community, and the officers of the 15th Police District regarding this issue. These pools were on private property of these homes, and we sympathize with the neighbors who had their personal property damaged and destroyed. No one has the right to walk onto someone else’s property and destroy what does not belong to them. We ask that anyone with information please contact the 15th police district to report it immediately.  As always, we encourage neighbors to contact Mayfair Town Watch about becoming active, patrolling members, which will decrease these types of incidents within the Mayfair community.  To contact Mayfair Town Watch with any questions or concerns call 215-983-9600 or email us at mayfairtownwatch@gmail.com. Feel free to visit our website at www.mayfairtownwatch.org”

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