Students living in the Langdon Street neighborhood awoke Tuesday to find nearly all of the area’s sport utility vehicles and minivans had deflated tires.

Many of the students speculated that the suspects were trying to make a political statement coinciding with Tuesday’s Earth Day. Police have not arrested anyone in connection with the incident but said they anticipate that an environmental group might soon claim responsibility.

Any damage to the tires as a result of the vandalism could result in criminal charges, police said.

Acacia president and UW sophomore Chris Beck said he thought the tire caps were switched sometime after 2 a.m., when students came home, and before 6 a.m., when they first noticed the deflated tires.

UW junior and Acacia member Paul Temple said the suspects replaced tire caps with new caps they had poked holes in and wedged a BB into the holes, allowing the tire to slowly deflate throughout the night.

“At nearly every frat and sorority up and down Langdon, at least at least one tire on an SUV was completely drained,” Temple said.

Langdon neighborhood area police officer Tim Strassman said the vandalism was “clearly coordinated” through some type of group.

Beck agreed, saying the group must have been highly organized to avoid any sightings.

“For what they did, they did a very good job of it,” Beck said. He said he counted 30 vandalized cars just outside his house and two neighboring houses.

Strassman said there were some reports of slashed tires, and some tires may have been damaged by the tire’s own rim. He said reports of the vandalism spread down Langdon, reaching Gilman, Blair and North Carroll streets. He said there were also reports of deflated tires at College Court and Ogg Hall, but he did not know if the incidents were related.

TKE fraternity resident advisor Chuck Radtke, who found one of his Jeep Cherokee Sport tires deflated, said area residents had mixed reactions to the vandalism.

“A lot of people were pissed off, but others were happy that at least the tires weren’t slashed,” Radtke said. He said if an environmental group committed the act to make a point about gas-guzzling SUVs he could understand it, but he still did not think the act was warranted.

Beck said the act was “childish” and pointless, making students late for work and class.

“I don’t even know what kind of statement was being made,” Beck said.

Langdon area alder Austin King, District 8, said students should not jump to any conclusions about the origin of the vandalism and should not overreact.

“I prefer other methods of expression, such as the demonstration on Library Mall Tuesday,” King said.

WisPIRG member Cara Fitzgerald said she attended the Earth Day event on Library Mall all day and said WisPIRG did not have any connection to the incident.

“I prefer education and activism,” Fitzgerald said.