Who is vandalizing strollers in a Boston neighborhood?

BOSTON — A squabble over strollers in the South End appears to be leading to growing tensions among neighbors.

The logistics of raising a young child in the city can be challenging. As parents throughout Boston will tell you, getting the heavy stroller and the kids in and out of the house is a chore.

"I definitely understand why people need to leave their strollers outside. It's heavy to bring it upstairs especially if you have to carry your kids up as well," said Bree Lentz, a mother of 10-month-old twins.

It's not uncommon for parents to leave strollers chained outside their homes, but over the last week in the South End, that's led to an even bigger headache for several families who say someone has been launching locked strollers over their gates and into their gardens.

"Some people are pretty annoying the way they park it.. they could be a little more considerate," said longtime South End resident Kevin Fisher.

It's not strollers left outside that bother Fisher and some other neighbors, but rather the ones that obstruct the city sidewalks.

"In a way, it's almost like you're asking for it," said Laura Ray.

Ray says she always keeps tabs on her stroller, which she uses to cart her two dogs around.

"I always wonder when I see people having their strollers chained up outside because I think to myself someone can easily steal that," said Ray.

Working nanny Anneliese Macedo can attest to how quickly that can happen.

"I was like what? I put the stroller right there," she said.

Less than 30 minutes after carrying the two kids she cares for into the house, Macedo says the stroller she had locked up outside was gone.

"I never do this again.. never again.. now I bring inside I don't trust," Macedo said.

Some parents we talked with tell us they spent as much as $1,000 for their strollers so you can understand why they are so worked up about the recent cases of stroller vandalism and theft.

Police are not condoning the crimes by any means but they do point out that is a risk of leaving personal property in a public space.

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