In the span of two months, nearly 80 tires were destroyed by someone neighbors have dubbed "the New Milford tire slasher."

The suspect returned to the scene of the crime Thursday, and police say he was caught red-handed.

Police say 23-year-old Matthew DeStafano admitted to carrying out two tire-slashing sprees starting in August, when 38 tires were slashed. In the latest spree on Thursday, 41 tires were cut.

In total, the sprees caused about $20,000 in damages.

A woman says she saw DeStafano attack her car Thursday at around 1:30 a.m. and called police. Officers found him half a block away.

"When they stopped him and asked him what he was doing, they noticed he had a car mirror in his hand, a side-view mirror and some scissors," says Chief Frank Ramaci, of the New Milford Police Department.

Police say DeStafano never ran and appeared very calm.

"One of the things we have not determined was the motive behind his spree of criminal mischief," says Ramaci. "He would not tell detectives why he went on this mission."

DeStafano faces 29 counts of criminal mischief and is due in court by the end of the month.