Two young boys were charged Tuesday, Sept. 17, after they reportedly caused several thousand dollars worth of damage to new apartment buildings under construction in the area of 501 Kristina Drive.
Officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department were dispatched around 8:18 a.m. to the construction site and were met by a concrete contractor who reported that newly-poured concrete in and around one of the new apartment buildings had been defaced sometime after 4 p.m. the previous day, Monday, Sept. 16.
Adolescent footprints reportedly were found in the concrete along with a slew of vulgar and profane messages written and drawn into the now-dried concrete. A window to one of the units near the newly-poured concrete also was busted out, officers were told. Several screens were torn and storm window to the same building had been pried on.
Officers also were told that vandalism at the construction site had been ongoing in recent weeks, including drywall being damaged by way of tools thrown into the interior walls.
The contractor estimated it would take an additional $3,500 to tear out the damaged concrete and repour the sidewalks.
Officers later met with an apartment manager at Deercreek Village Apartments, 450 Kristina Drive, and told her they suspected children were involved that lived in the complex.
Later in the day, just before 5 p.m., officers were dispatched to that location in reference to a follow-up to the vandalism complaint. Upon arrival, they met with an 11- and 13-year-old boy who eventually admitted to having caused the damage at the construction site. They confessed to having written profanity in the concrete and drawing explicit images. The boys also admitted to dumping drywall mud onto the floor and stealing a shovel and throwing it in the woods nearby.
They were charged with vandalism and criminal trespass.
