Duo arrested after vandalizing McNabb's lawn

Jan 21, 2009 - 5:46 PM CHANDLER, Arizona (Ticker) -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb's season was sacked in Arizona - with no help from a pair of bungling fans of the Cardinals.

Two men were arrested Sunday for vandalizing the lawn of the home of the Eagles' quarterback on the eve of the NFC championship game.

Rex Michael Perkins, 37, and Ryan Hanlon, 28, were arrested on charges of criminal damage in the wake of the incident.

Sergeant Joe Favazzo of the Chandler Police Department confirmed to PA SportsTicker that the pair used diesel fuel to burn the words "Go Cards," "Go Kurt" and "I (heart symbol) AZ" on McNabb's lawn shortly after midnight on January 17.

"They thought it was funny," Favazzo said.

What was humorous, Favazzo noted, was how the pair led police directly to them.

The use of diesel fuel was the third "prank" pulled by the pair in three days, said Favazzo, who noted that McNabb laughed off the first two incidents.

In the second incident, a cardboard box and cardboard sign were left in McNabb's yard with the words "Go Cards" and "Beat Philly" on them.

When police arrived after McNabb discovered the messages burned into the lawn, the officer "did about a five-second investigation," Favazzo said.

On the cardboard was a sticker with Perkins' named and addressed affixed to it. When the officer went to his home, Perkins confessed and added that he had an accomplice - Hanlon.

The led to the arrests for both men, who had their mug shots taken, were finger-printed and had to sign a citation to appear in court. The damage was estimated at $2,000.

On Thursday, the duo started the string of incidents by planting a Cardinals flag in a tree outside McNabb's home.

Favazzo said McNabb thought that was funny and even left the flag in the tree.

"There are two points here," Favazzo said. "No. 1, Mr. McNabb is a stand-up guy. And No. 2, it's not funny to go on another person's property to do damage."