82-year-old man slashed 88-year-old woman's tyres because she sat in his favourite bingo seat

Police arrested an 82-year-old Florida man for slashing a woman's tyres because he claims she was sitting in his favourite bingo seat. Fred Smith was charged with criminal mischief to a vehicle last week when, police say, he took an ice pick to Ethel Britt's van. She celebrated her 88th birthday on Friday and has since been questioning why Smith targeted her car.



"I didn't think anyone would be low enough to do that to my car because I didn't know I had any enemies in my life,” she said. “I thought everybody was my friend, but undoubtedly I have one enemy.” Police say Smith stormed out of a weekly bingo game at the Lake Ashton Club House and punctured two of Britt's tyres because she was sitting in a chair he usually sits in.

"I didn't know it meant that much to him to do that to my tyres," Britt continued. "It's quite frankly a childish-type crime," offered Lake Wales Deputy Chief Troy Schulze. "The man admitted to it when the officer told him what he was there to investigate. He was apologetic. He said he was embarrassed.


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"He regretted doing it, but he took ownership of it and said that even in the embarrassment he had to face consequences." Those consequences could include about $500 in tyre damage and restitution back to Britt. She said she has no hard feelings, but she's still a bit puzzled. "I'm not mad, no. I would like to have my tyres paid for because that took every dime I had in the bank," she added.