Two students arrested as Peabody prank gets out of hand

PEABODY- In what police are describing as a senior prank gone awry, two Peabody Veterans Memorial High School students are facing serious charges after breaking in to the school and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage early Friday morning.
18-year-old Michael Gray of 12 Putnam St., and 18-year-old Paul R. Campell Jr. of 226 Bartholomew St. were arrested and charged with one count each of breaking and entering at night to commit a felony, malicious destruction of property over $250 and trespassing after police witnessed a group of students running from the vandalized high school.
Police say the two students were part of a larger group that planned the prank, and more arrests may be made as the investigation continues.
A tradition at most high schools, police say the annual PVMHS senior prank started to go wrong when Sgt. William Cook, on a routine patrol at the school, noticed the alarm students set off while breaking into building.
He witnessed several students running away from the school, and with the help of responding officers, caught up to one student who was found panting and sweating while sitting inside of a car.
“The student admitted that he had been a part of a prank and the school had been broken in to,” Peabody Police Capt. Denis Bonaiuto said. “It appears that what started out as a prank became more serious when a few students deviated from the intent.”
Bonaiuto said police initially found that students had zip-tied lockers shut and set up a comical Christmas scene in the school lobby, but found more serious vandalism when investigating administrative offices.
According to police, students allegedly broke in to the dean’s office in the school’s “A-house” and “B-house,” and sprayed fire extinguishers throughout the common area, destroying thousands of dollars in computer equipment.
Bonaiuto said he did not know the exact number of students who participated in the prank, but estimated the number at more than five or 10.
“There was severe computer damage, we anticipate a couple of thousand dollars worth,” he said. ‘There is an ongoing investigation to determine the rest of the people on the property, but we probably won’t have any new information on that until next week.
“Most likely there will be other people charged with trespassing.”
Both Gray and Campell are facing disciplinary action at the high school, but it is unclear what affect that will have on graduation.
PVMHS Principal Edward Sapienza was unavailable for comment Friday morning.