Senior Prank Does $10,000 In Damages To School - 5 Teens Arrested

[matcom]

<snip>

Five teenagers were arrested early Monday while allegedly vandalizing a North Hills school as a senior prank, officials said.

Two Los Angeles police officers, aware that vandalism sometimes accompanies the end of the school year, saw 10 to 15 people destroying school property at James Monroe High School about 1:45 a.m., said Sgt. Orlando Chandler.

School officials said the vandals caused an estimated $10,000 in damage. The vandals splattered purple paint on a set of double doors, splashed motor oil on a building, spray-painted offensive language on several buildings, broke seven sapling trees and sawed off four new umbrellas in the lunch area.

Police said the five students detained were being questioned Monday, and police were hoping to round up those who fled.

The five teenagers were each being held in lieu of $20,000 bail, on suspicion of felony vandalism, Chandler said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-me-vandals29jun29.story

[mstrsplinter326]

1. Dangerous ruffians

I am sure glad those dangerous criminals were caught. I'll sleep soundly tonight.

[WillParkinson]

2. I sure hope you're not being sarcastic...

What were they supposed to do? Should they have looked the other way and just say kids will be kids?

[mstrsplinter326]

5. It's always funny how these kids are cracked down on so hard

Especially in suburbia, but in urban areas the cops don't have enough time or resources to fight drug dealers and murders.

Hell yeah I am being sarcastic. Criminals who really hurt people walk the streets everyday because the police are expected to spend their time and efforts on these type issues.

I won't defend these kids, but if they are a major area of concern for our police we need to reevaluate where the resources are be allocated in this country.

Dick Cheney is a million times the criminal that these kids are - arrest him. Hold him on 20 billion dollars bail.

[truthspeaker]

7. That's $10K the school won't have for books, teachers' aides, etc.

I think this kind of economic damage is worth prosecuting.

True, suburban police have more resources to spend fighting crime than urban ones, resulting in areas where drug dealers and pimps act with impunity. Something definitely should be done about that, but turning a blind eye to destruction of property is not the answer.

[mstrsplinter326]

That 10K wouldn't be an issue if federal and state funding

were reformed and their priorities were set straight.

Like I said I don't defend the kids, but they are KIDS. Make them clean it up and replace the stuff, then it all works out in the wash and they learn the monetary value of the things they broke.

[toddzilla]

3. how is this a "prank"

isn't a prank something completely different than spraying graffiti on buildings and throwing buckets of paint at them?


talk about a lack of imagination..

[havocmom]

8. you are right, lack of imagination

Proof positive that the education system is failing to spark kid's creative potential because of budget cuts in the arts.

When the only form of expression they can come up with is vandalism, it is very sad.

I liked the students in a small California town decades ago who TP-ed
the police station. Now that took some thought, discipline, skill, courage and caused no costly damage. Made a point about law enforcement in the community too.

[Loonman]

4. No diplomas for you,

Wise guys.

Felony vandalism, throw the book at the punks.

[Lavender Brown]

6. Crazy!

We decorated the school with Christmas trees and decorations for our senior prank. It was "Christmas in June." Lame, but not destructive.