A climate action group has claimed responsibility for deflating the tyres of more than 100 cars in Aberdeen last week.
The Tyre Extinguishers oppose the ownership of large cars in urban areas, namely SUVs, and the impact they have on the environment.
The group believes these cars should be banned and shares their message by deflating the tyres of “oversized SUVs”.
Activists targeted the Granite City for the first time on Wednesday morning deflating about 90 cars in the Ashgrove and Cornhill areas by inserting lentils into the valve.
This was followed by a further 40 cars being hit in the Kittybrewster area on Friday morning.
Upon closer inspection, residents on Elmfield Avenue and Erskine Street discovered lentils inside the valve caps of their car tyres.
In a letter sent to The Press and Journal, the group said: “We are affiliated with the Tyre Extinguishers: we oppose the ownership of needlessly large cars in urban spaces for the pollution they generate and the threat they pose to pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers.
“We understand that our methods are controversial, but something, no matter how small, must be done to temper the rapid growth in SUV use.
“We want all new buyers to have to consider the possibility of being inconvenienced in this way, on top of the other drawbacks of such a car.”
Apologies to ‘innocent drivers’
The Tyre Extinguishers said they “work hard” to only target SUVs but acknowledged that “mistakes are made”.
They apologised to any “innocent drivers of regular-sized cars who were caught in the crossfire” in Aberdeen.
The group also encouraged the public to help them out by deflating any cars they view as too large themselves.
One Ashgrove resident had all four tyres on his diesel Jaguar E-Pace SUV deflated on Wednesday.
He described the group’s actions as a “new age of attention seeking” and said he does not believe it will benefit the environment.
Others viewed the Tyre Extinguishers’ antics as a “tomfoolery” and a “hassle”.
"They knew what they were doing" – yes sir we dohttps://t.co/NuR0RQ13Kd
— The Tyre Extinguishers (@T_Extinguishers) June 15, 2023
‘Reckless and potentially dangerous’
It is understood, a number of related incidents have been reported to the police over the past week.
Inspector Lesley Clark said: “All reports of tyres being deliberately deflated are taken seriously. This kind of action is reckless and potentially dangerous as it could put drivers and other road users at risk.
“If you see anyone acting suspiciously close to parked vehicles, call us on 101. Drivers should also check their vehicle before they set off if they suspect it could have been tampered with.”
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