On the heels of a rash of tire slashings, residents in the Lower Northeast are looking for the person spraying an acidic substance on cars.

Police said about 16 cars were damaged early Wednesday on the 600 block of East Van Kirk Street after someone sprayed or poured an unknown corrosive chemical on several car doors, damaging the paint. Residents said this isn’t the first time.

Mike Morales said both of his cars were damaged. He didn’t find out until a relative told him they had seen the story on the news.

“It makes no sense,” Morales said. “You got hard-working people and somebody’s got nothing better to do.”

Robin Clark said it would cost $1,500 to repair the damage to her car.

“I was frustrated because I thought they had caught one of the people,” she said. “It’s a whole brand new paint job.” Clark said she thinks the vandal will continue until caught, especially in light of the publicity for the recent tire slashings in and around Mayfair.

Copycats lurk

Copycats have made the uncertainty of an end to the damage more frustrating.

Police charged 21-year-old Quincy Kramer on Tuesday with slashing tires on Cottman Avenue, but they suspect other vandals are involved.

“I’m thinking about parking in the back because the lights come on back there,” Clark said.

A few homes on the block have surveillance cameras, but police would not say whether the vandals were caught on tape. No description of the suspect or suspects has been given.