Two juveniles, ages 13 and 14, have been arrested in connection with the Thanksgiving week vandalism at a Berwick church and park.
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. says that a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old, both of Berwick, were booked with two counts simple burglary, institutional vandalism and simple criminal damage to property.
Police were called over the Thanksgiving holidays after burglaries and vandalism occurred at a church and at Pharr Park, the chief says.
The first call was on Thanksgiving, when a church was burglarized. Someone broke a window near a rear door, but nothing was stolen. A second building on the church property also was broken into, and although burglars rummaged through the building, nothing was reported stolen.
While processing the scene, police found physical evidence that would help identify the burglars.
Another call was received the next day, reporting vandalism at Pharr Park. A large number of Christmas decorations there were destroyed, the chief said.
And on that Sunday after Thanksgiving, police got another call. The same church had another window broken, although it wasn't entered this time.
Detectives identified the two juveniles as suspects, and when they were questioned they allegedly admitted to breaking into the church's buildings and to the destruction at the park. The evidence found at the church also linked one of those teens to the incident, the chief says.
Two other juveniles were identified as possible suspects but they were eliminated through further investigation, the chief said.
Warrants were prepared for the two juveniles and on Friday, December 2, they were arrested. They were processed at the Berwick Police Department and released to their guardians pending juvenile court proceedings.
The Chief said he would like to remind everyone that if you are to see what you believe as suspicious activity taking place, please call the Berwick Police Department. “IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING."
