(MOBILE, Ala.) - Mobile Police arrested two teenagers Saturday afternoon in connection with the vandalism of an elementary school.
Authorities said the teens, ages 13 and 14, were taken to Strickland Youth Center after Mobile County School Officials said the two caused thousands of dollars in damage to eight different classrooms at Spencer-Westlawn Elementary. Nothing of value was stolen from the school.
Mobile County Schools Spokesperson Nancy Pierce said it is not the first time the school has been vandalized this school year.
"We don't understand it," Pierce said. "It just doesn't make sense. This is the third time this year that it has been vandalized, and one time is bad enough."
Mobile Police responded to reports of a break in at the school at 12:30p.m. School faculty said a window to the cafeteria was broken into, and, they believe, that is how the vandals got inside.
Once inside they found a disaster.
"There's glitter all over the floor in one of the rooms," Pierce said. "There's paint all over the floor."
Paint was splattered on the walls of one classroom too. Files, food and even cleaning chemicals were spilled everywhere. Shattered glass laid where eight classroom door windows were busted out. Pierce said three Smart Boards will have to be replaced too.
"Smart boards, which are about $3,500 a piece, there was paint thrown on one and there was one that was broken," Pierce said.
Pierce said, worst of all, art projects done by students and teachers are in shreds.
"Now they're going to have to redo their bulletin boards, along with all of their other stuff, because the kids really enjoy those," Pierce said. "It really was done to be mean. I think nothing was taken."
Mobile Police said they arrested the two vandals hanging out just blocks away from the school on Ralston Road around 2p.m. Authorities said it is unclear if the teens arrested in connection with today's incident are responsible for the other two incidents at Westlawn this year.
