They were bored, they told police, and wanted to shoot hoops in the school gym.
But a foray to West Grade School in Crystal Lake on Sunday morning ended with two juveniles being charged by police with burglary, theft, criminal damage to property and criminal trespass to state-supported property.
The two allegedly used paint stolen from the art department to soak carpeting, walls and doors in the Fine Arts Hall, site of the music, art and physical education classrooms.
The youths also were accused of cutting open bean bag chairs and throwing paper throughout the hallways, dismantling one computer and tampering with another.
About 12:45 a.m. Sunday, a Crystal Lake patrol officer noticed a broken window on a door at the northwest side of the building at 100 Briarwood Rd.
Canine units were called from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department and the Algonquin Police Department. The Lakewood Police provided backup.
“We called in the canines because the size of the school would make it difficult to find someone who may have secreted himself in a very secure area,” said Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Howard Parth.
As police entered the building, a 15-year-old Crystal Lake boy and a 16-year-old Belvidere youth ran in separate directions, police said.
Officers at the perimeter of the school arrested both youths. Police later said the two also might be involved in as many as 20 auto burglaries that have occurred since January on the city’s west end and along U.S. Highway 14.
Rick Bernotas, District 47’s superintendent, praised police.
Bernotas said there is very little vandalism in the district’s 12 facilities because of the constant police attention. Bernotas said Sunday’s incident ranked with the worst in the district during the 29 years he has worked here.
The school district will ask for restitution from the youths, if they are found guilty, Bernotas said.
Bernotas assessed the damage on Monday but said he was not confronted with the full brunt because volunteers, including Principal Connie Rasmussen, had spent hours on Sunday cleaning up the mess so the school could open Monday morning.
The damage could exceed $50,000, Rasmussen said. The school had repainted its hallways in the past couple of weeks.
“I think it’s a sad state that there isn’t something these kids can find an interest in besides vandalism,” said Rasmussen.
“I honestly don’t know how anyone could have pleasure out of just destroying something,” she added.
Rasmussen said that the pupils felt violated by the intruders.
Pupil Josh Pecoraro said, “It’s kind of sad that kids would come in there and do that for no reason.
“We even know better than that, and we’re only in 5th grade.”
