RUMFORD — Selectman Jolene Lovejoy is appealing to the public to help police find the person or persons responsible for more than $10,000 damage to vehicles of a local couple and their parents in the past year.

Tires on the vehicles of Jen Swett and Scott Provencher, and their parents have been slashed repeatedly and the cars deliberately scratched all over. Also, derogatory words have been painted on the vehicles and a windshield was smashed earlier this month, according to police.

A reward of $1,000 has been offered anonymously for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved, Lovejoy said.

“I think that what affects me so deeply is that this couple is being so deliberately bullied and targeted, and that there has never been one person to come forward with any information about any of these crimes,” Lovejoy said at Thursday night’s selectmen’s meeting.

By Lovejoy going public with it, Swett said Tuesday that she hopes people will start paying attention to help catch the vandal or vandals.

Lovejoy said Swett, who was born and raised in Carthage, attended and graduated with honors from Dirigo High School in Dixfield, “where she was very active and well-liked.”

Swett has three children and works for RSU 10, she said.

Provencher was born and raised in Rumford’s Brick Park neighborhood, graduated from Rumford High School, “and was known as one of the nicest guys in the class,” she said.

Provencher joined the military soon after graduation, served several years of active duty, and returned to Rumford, where he works for the U.S. Postal Service, she said.

“He is still a great guy, both liked and respected by all that know him, as well as by the hundreds of people that he serves with a great attitude and always with his trademark smile, five days a week,” Lovejoy said.

Police Chief Stacy Carter said the crimes are being investigated as aggravated criminal mischief. He confirmed Lovejoy’s accounts of the incidents she shared Thursday night.

She said the crime spree began March 13, 2011, when Swett parked her vehicle on Maple Street in Rumford and all four tires were cut.

On March 27, all four tires were again slashed as the car was parked in a different location on Maple Street, Lovejoy said.

On March 30, three tires were slashed and derogatory words spray-painted on Swett’s vehicle while it was parked at her father’s house in Carthage, Lovejoy said. Additionally, bleach was dumped into the gas tank.

On May 6, 2011, Swett and Provencher had their first date while attending a benefit at Black Mountain of Maine, Lovejoy said. When they returned to his car in the parking lot, all four tires were slashed and the car had been scratched on every panel, she said. The damage was $3,700.

Later that month, two of Provencher’s tires were slashed on his vehicle, and his father’s car, parked nearby, had four tires slashed and derogatory marks scratched into the vehicle, Lovejoy said. The damage was $1,000.

“These actions happened here in Rumford,” she said.

Also that month, Swett’s mother had her vehicle’s four tires slashed and derogatory remarks scratched on the hood of her car, Lovejoy said. The damage was $1,300.

Additionally in May, while Swett had her car at an automobile shop in Rumford, four of her tires were slashed, she said.

On June 24, 2011, the couple had their tires slashed while parked at two different residences in Rumford, she said.

On Aug. 8, 2011, four of Provencher’s tires were slashed, Lovejoy said.

And on Feb. 10 this year the vandalism resumed. All four of Provencher’s tires were slashed, the windshield was shattered, and all of the body panels were scratched, she said. The damage was $4,600.

That same day, Swett’s vehicle had one tire slashed and several scratches on the driver’s door, Lovejoy said.

“All of this within less than a stone’s throw from the house in the Brick Park where (Provencher) was raised,” she said.

Lovejoy said the crimes occurred in Carthage and Dixfield and several times in Rumford.

“How is it possible that no one has seen or heard anything?” Lovejoy asked. “It is easier not to get involved, but what if this were happening to someone that you love?”

She urged people with information about the crimes to contact Rumford police at 364-4551 or via the department’s website at www.rumfordpd.com.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com