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Men In Kiss Masks Cause $40,000 Worth Of Damage At Saddle Brook Auto Body Shop

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New surveillance video could be key in catching a group of vandals who wore masks resembling members of the rock group Kiss as they damaged dozens of cars at a Saddle Brook, N.J. auto body shop.

As CBS 2's Alice Gainer reported, the suspects are most likely not rock stars, but all four were wearing masks with a black star over the eye as they smashed windows and sprayed graffiti on 25 cars sitting at the SB Maaco Auto Body Shop this past Saturday.

"Spray paint, graffiti, dents, numerous dents, smashed windshields, ripped interiors," Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler said as he listed the damage.

Men In Kiss Masks Cause $40,000 Worth Of Damage At Saddle Brook Auto Body Shop

A surveillance camera sitting above a Mercedes caught the men as they set to work, destroying it using metal pipes, shovels, spray paint, and a fire extinguisher.

"The company has a very good surveillance system," Saddle Brook Police Captain Vincent Laurentino told WCBS 880's Levon Putney. "They definitely appeared that they were doing it to have a good time. They're celebrating, they're chest-bumping each other."

In total, the men caused more than $40,000 worth of damage, Gainer reported.

A car alarm was eventually triggered and the suspects took off, only to come back a few moments later, Gainer reported.

The Mercedes is now in police custody as they process it for prints.

Shop owner Walter Karol said he believes the men knew that the camera was there.

"I mean they're right in front of the camera. I mean it's three feet away this time," Karol said.

Karol said the lot was also vandalized back in September, but the suspects didn't wear masks.

So far, police said they don't believe it was the same men in both incidents.

The mask-wearing suspects from Saturday's vandalism incident did wear some identifying items, including a man who had a cast on his right hand, and another who wore a Rangers jersey.

Karol said he tracked the suspects' footsteps to under a nearby bridge on Route 46.

Police said because the area is such a desolate location it makes for an easy getaway.

Karol said he has filed an insurance claim and is repairing the cars that were damages.

So far there is no motive in the case and police are asking for the public's help in identifying the masked men, hoping to make this performance their last.

Police said the suspects appear to be men in their teens or early 20s.

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