Juveniles cause more than $5,000 in damage
Three Wells area juveniles have been arrested in connection with breaking into a Kiester school and two businesses.
Two of the juveniles taken into custody were students at the United South Central Middle School in Kiester.
Although expected to face felony charges, Faribault County Attorney Brian Roverud says because they are not 16 years old their names can not be made public.
Faribault County Sheriff Mike Gormley estimates more than $4,000 in damage was done at the school, $1,000 at Kee Civic Theatre and $500 at the Kiester Laundromat.
“Most of the damage was to a window they broke to get in. They took some smaller items like candy and pop,” says Al Bauman, president of the Kee Civic Theatre board.
Bauman says the burglars ransacked the ticket booth, tearing up paychecks and tickets in their search for money.
Middle school principal Tracy Frank put the total damage at $4,133. Some of the damage, say school officials, was done to textbooks and computers.
According to authorities, deputies responded to a report of a motion alarm being set off at Kiester Middle School around 2 a.m. Monday morning.
When deputies Todd Duit and Shane Dulac arrived on the scene they noticed fresh footprints all around the school that had been made in the recent snowfall.
While searching the property, authorities discovered a broken window on the north side of the school, where entry was made into the building. Fresh foot tracks also were found outside a door.
After following the tracks for about two miles through town, deputies Duit, Dulac and Mark Purvis arrested three male juveniles.
When questioned, they admitted breaking into the middle school and theatre. The juveniles also admitted doing damage to the inside of the laundromat.
“It was some hard work by the deputies. Going out in the extreme cold that morning and tracking them down,” says Gormley.
The juveniles were taken to New Ulm Juvenile Detention Facility. Charges of felony second-degree burglary and felony criminal damage to property are expected to be filed.