Caledonia Argus

Three juveniles taken into custody after two Caledonia homes vandalized

Posted: 8/26/03

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

Three juveniles were taken into custody after two Caledonia residences were vandalized last week.

Caledonia Police were dispatched to East Main Street just after 7 p.m. on August 19 after a 911 caller reported that three young males had entered a home known to be vacant. The three juveniles were still in the house when authorities arrived and were taken into custody without incident, according to Caledonia Police.

A survey of the home revealed that light bulbs throughout the residence had been torn from their fixtures and smashed.

While police were handling the situation on East Main Street, a property owner informed authorities that a home he had been remodeling on East Grove Street had been vandalized. Someone had entered the residence, according to police reports, and dumped jugs of paint thinner, turpentine and commercial cleaner throughout the basement and on the basement steps.

Damages to the East Grove Street home were estimated at over $1680. No damage estimate was available for the home on East Main.

The three suspects were transported to the Houston County Jail and interviewed by police. Two of the suspectsñ a 14-year old Caledonia male and a 14-year old Tucson, Arizona maleñ admitted to entering both homes without permission, smashing light bulbs at the East Main Street residence and dumping liquids at the East Grove Street residence. The third suspect, a 13-year old Caledonia male, chose not to provide statements to police until contacting an attorney. Statements given by the other two suspects indicated that the 13-year old Caledonia male was only present at the incident on East Main Street.

Following the police interviews, all three suspects were transported to the Many Rivers Juvenile Detention Center in Rochester.

The Houston County Attorneyís Office has filed delinquency petitions against the three suspects, alleging burglary and criminal damage to property. The 13-year old Caledonia male has been named in connection with one count of burglary and one count of criminal damage to property. He was released from juvenile detention on August 21, and conditions of release dictate that he can only leave his home for school or if accompanied by a parent, and that he have no visitors other than family.

The 14-year old Tucson youth was released under the same conditions as the 13-year old. Two delinquency petitions filed against him allege two counts of burglary and two counts of criminal damage to property.

The 14-year old Caledonia male also had two delinquency petitions filed against him, alleging three counts of burglary and two counts of criminal damage to property. No information on his release was available.

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