At Least 200 Tacks Spread Throughout Hercules Dog Park

HERCULES (CBS SF) – Dog owners are on alert Monday after the latest in a series of disturbing discoveries at an East Bay park, according to Hercules police.

On January 30th, Hercules police got a call from residents who said they found something unexpected at Ohlone Park at 190 Turquoise Drive.

"The citizens reported finding approximately 100 tacks scattered around the dog park," said Hercules Police Det. Connie Van Putten

Dog owners picked up all the thumbtacks they could find and posted a sign warning people to be careful.  But then, last weekend, the mystery became even more unsettling when 200 more tacks were found strewn about in the park and a nearby creek.

"I'm calling it an intentional act, said retired police officer and regular park visitor Larry Clarine. What the person's actual intent is, I don't know, but they did it on purpose."

Police may not know the motive for this, but Clarine said they also don't seem to realize the extent of the problem.

"We started collecting them and found out we're not talking just a few thumbtacks; we're talking thousands," said Clarine.

Clarine says he and other visitors have collected bags of the tacks over many different days in the last three weeks.

"We'd clean up one area and the next day come back and there'd be just as many if not more," said Clarine.

He suspects the tacks are coming from someone with a grudge against park management.  But it is the dogs that are most in danger. Clarine said he is keeping his dog on a leash these days.

It is a mystery with few answers and one disturbing question that remains unanswered: why would anyone do something like this?

Anyone who may have information about the case is asked to call Hercules police at (510) 799-8260.