LYNN – Five additional juveniles have been charged in connection with a vandalism spree at the Callahan School last month, which caused upwards of $50,000 in damages.According to Lynn Police Spokesman Lt. William Sharpe, a 13 year old and a 12 year old have been charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit a misdemeanor, breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, malicious destruction of property over $250 and larceny from a building; while two additional 13 year olds and a 12 year old have been charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit a misdemeanor and trespassing.Sharpe said all five juveniles will be summonsed to Juvenile Court, as opposed to the first 13 year old, who was arrested Aug. 25.”Our anonymous tip line produced the key piece of information that enabled us to solve this case so quickly,” he said. “We would strongly encourage people with information on any case to utilize our tip line or our text a tip program. These services allow people to get involved in helping their community and their police department in circumstances where they are reluctant to get involved, or feel a concern out of being identified.”The tip claimed the boy was overheard talking about damage done to the school, and after a subsequent investigation, he was arrested. He was expected to plead not delinquent to the charges in Juvenile Court.The damage was discovered by a janitor on Monday, Aug. 23, who found a board covering a broken first floor window. Police say the vandals crawled through the window and went through the school’s 24 rooms, auditorium and gymnasium, tossing around papers, splashing paint and sour milk against walls, tipping over computers and tearing down posters saying “Think Straight A’s.”In addition to the Callahan School, the Ingalls was also vandalized twice within one week, with extensive damage made to the school’s art room and other areas. As a result, school officials were forced to twice apply elbow grease to ready the school for its opening on Wednesday.Sharpe said the Ingalls School case remains under investigation with strong leads.Anyone with information is urged to call the department at 781-595-2000 or utilize the anonymous tip line by texting the word tiplynn on a mobile device to tip411 or 847411. Anonymous tips can also be submitted from the police department’s Web site at www.lynnpolice.org and clicking the “submit tip: icon.
