Authorities are still looking for spray-painters
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ill.—Lawrenceville authorities had a juvenile in custody as of this morning on suspicion of a series of window-breaking acts late last night, but are still searching for the culprits in acts of spray-painting in town.
Lawrenceville Police Chief Jim White told Disclosure that he was apprised of reports of acts of window-breaking in both windows and in parked cars, this at about 5:30 a.m. today (Monday, March 3), and through a series of events involving the family of a juvenile, Chief White was able to question a boy alleged to have been involved, a little bit later in the morning.
White reported that the boy’s father was very upset with his son, and facilitated the interview with the boy while the boy’s mother was present. During this interview, the juvenile admitted to going on a vandalism spree with three other juveniles between the hours of 9 and 10 p.m. last night (Sunday, March 2, 2014) in what was described as a “big circle” with a focus on the 16th Street area of Lawrenceville. During that time, there were windows broken out of two churches (Apostolic Church, and the Central Christian Church) as well as two windows broken out of cars, one of those on 16th Street as well.
The likelihood that the church windows will be charged as a juvenile felony (Criminal Damage to Property/Church/School/Government-supported) is a good one; and, as far as those charges, while it remains to be seen what prosecutor Chris Quick will do, he’ll probably not go easy on the kid, as Quick established a reputation in Wabash County (2004-08) for being tough on juvenile offenders, even first-time ones.
White was able to ascertain that some other vandalism occurring in town overnight, however, wasn’t perpetrated by these alleged juvenile offenders.
This vandalism was in the form of spray-painting, in particular, crude ‘drawings’ of genitalia. This occurred on at least two garages, a house, two motorcycles and maybe a car, in the 1400 block of 9th Street up to about Hickory Street in Lawrenceville. The public is encouraged to keep an eye out, and if you have any information on who might have been behind it, contact the police at 618-943-2116.