NORTH ATTLEBORO - Halloween is a night of tricks and treats but what police and a victim said occurred in the Lake Como area was no minor prank.

Vandals ran rampant through the neighborhood off May Street and Route 1 near the South Attleboro line, slashing car tires and scratching vehicles sometime early Sunday morning.

"The whole neighborhood was taken by storm that night," said one of the victims, Michael W. McKay of May Street, where the vandals punctured the tires on all three cars in his driveway.

Detective Lt. David Dawes said police are investigating vandalism to approximately 20 vehicles and urged anyone who might have seen or heard something suspicious to call police at 508-695-1212.

"It was quite extensive," Dawes said of the damage. "We're following up on any leads." The incident occurred sometime from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday in the neighborhood around Lake Como off Route 1, including May Street, Heather Street and England Road. The incident is being investigated by Patrolman Ryan Mooney and the detective division.

Besides slashing tires, McKay said the vandals carved a curse word on the hood of his son's car and scratched the sides with a knife.

The vehicles had to be towed by flat-bed trucks for repairs with the tab totaling $3,000, McKay said, adding that his son also had to miss a day of work because of the incident.

"This ain't a prank. This is a malicious act," said McKay, the author of the self-published thriller novel about an escapee from then-Walpole State Prison called "A Big House for Little Men."