November 07, 2024
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Corinth teens go on Halloween vandalism spree

CORINTH – Four teenagers were in trouble with the law on Thursday after a Halloween night vandalism spree that left most of the town painted red, blue, silver and black.

The four male juveniles, ranging in age from 14 to 17, plastered a five- to six-mile stretch of homes, businesses, town property and schools along Route 15 and Route 43, with spray-painted profanities, symbols and messages, according to the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department.

A 14-year-old boy was sent to the Charleston Correctional Facility, while three others were summoned for criminal mischief and released to their parents, Chief Deputy Troy Morton said Thursday. He said the vandalism took place during Halloween night.

Morton would not confirm if any of the juveniles had records. He did say that the juveniles are “from the greater Corinth area” and “none of them are currently enrolled in school.” A Nov. 16 court date has been set.

While he said some of the juveniles were on foot, Morton would not elaborate on how the others were traveling. Police still are investigating the incident and others may have been involved, Morton said.

Two county deputies, two detectives and Morton himself worked much of the day on the Corinth incident.

“We’re still trying to put together an estimated cost of damages,” he said. “It’s more about the aggravation than the actual cost.”

Homes, barns and businesses, including the Corinth Laundromat, were painted along the approximately 5-mile stretch, in addition to street signs, roadways and campaign signs. The municipal office, middle and high schools, and the recreation fields behind the municipal building also were layered in paint, Morton said. The profanity and symbols were scrawled across the recreational fields’ dugouts, bleachers, concession building, outdoor bathroom and outdoor storage building, according to Town Manager Don Strout.

Strout said the fields and basketball courts are used only for recreational purposes and not by the school.

Fire Chief Scott Bragdon worked most of the day Thursday removing much of the paint from town property, Strout said. The steel and fiberglass doorways will require additional materials and labor to remove the paint, he said.

“In going around the community, [residents] can’t understand why people would do anything like this,” Strout said.


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