by Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 28/97) - Two cab drivers woke up to the sound of a rock smashing through their front window early Tuesday morning in Northlands Trailer Park.

In addition to the broken window, the drivers later discovered the rear windows of their cabs had been smashed in the driveway.

"There were also three cabs vandalized last week -- had their back windows smashed," said John Seagrave, general manager of City Cabs.

"It looks like someone is taking a baseball bat to the back windows."

City Cab Ltd. is now offering a $500 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the vandalism.

Seagrave said that in all five cases, it's as if the culprits know that rear windows on many area cabs are harder to find and replace.

"Whoever's doing this knows what they're doing," he said.

All the cars targeted over the past week are driven by Vietnamese men. But Minh Ngoc Nguyen, who's had to replace two rear windows in the last nine days, said that he doesn't think the issue is racial. Instead, he suspects the vandalism is a result of infighting among cab drivers themselves.

Nguyen, a former board member for the cab company, said that it's geared specifically toward him.

"As a member of the board of directors, I was responsible for disciplining the drivers," he said. "All the drivers (targeted) are shareholders of the company, and they supported my decisions. It's a matter of getting even."

Trung Quang Do, who owns the trailer that was damaged as well as one of the cabs, said that the vandalism will cost him roughly $800.

In addition to repair costs, the cabbies will be off the road until their windows are fixed, causing them to lose more money.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 669-5222 or City Cab Ltd. at 920-4444.