Members of the Spencer Police Department would like to know who broke into a local salvage yard and drove a John Deere tractor over the the tops of cars during the July 4 holiday weekend.

The stunt caused significant amounts of damage. The tires on the tractor alone have a value of $1,000. The vandal or vandals used four different vehicles to smash other cars in the Hurst Salvage yard.

Police reported damage to at least 29 vehicles. The intruders also threw bricks through some of the car windows.

The tractor came to rest on top of an early 70s Volkswagen, but not before it tore a path west, causing damage to a pair of vans. The tractor was then guided south over the top of an Oldsmobile and a Ford. It plowed over five cars before it came to rest on the Beetle.

A second run was committed with a Ford Explorer, which sideswiped a car. The vandals took a 2 1/2 ton International grain truck up a hill at the Salvage yard and damaged cars where Steve Hurst keeps vintage candidates for restoration.

Employees at the salvage yard think the vandalism started on Sunday before heavy rains passed through the area. They either returned, or continued after the rainfall because muddy tracks were found leading to some sites of damage, but not all of them.

The intruders also started up a dump truck, but returned it to its parking space with no apparent damage.

Employees at the salvage yard said they've seen windows broken by trespassers before, but nothing that compares to the criminal mischief they found after the weekend.

They hope anyone with information will contact the Spencer Police Department at 712-262-2151.