PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. -- Four girls, ages 9-12 have been charged in connection with a weekend vandalism spree on a Pembroke Park elementary school. Police said three of the girls were caught on tape during their spree of destruction.
Just before 8:00 a.m. Monday, Broward Sheriff's Offics deputies responded to a reported breaking and entering at Lake Forest Elementary School, 3201 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd.
When they arrived, they found graffiti was sprayed on the walls, floors and buildings and garbage cans were overturned. One of the modular buildings with several classrooms inside was destroyed.
Anything that was upright was overturned, police said. School materials, including shelving, cabinets, desks, tables and chairs were strewn about, along with books, art supplies and computer equipment. There were holes in the walls, paint splashed around and dumped in toilets.
According to the police reporrt, there was practically nothing left intact in the classrooms.
Surveillance video shows four girls walking around the campus on Saturday, July 19. Three of the girls returned to the school on Sunday, July 20. They could be seen spray-painting the walls with vulgar words, police said.
Police said the suspects were on campus for around three hours, destroying anything they could. They were last seen nonchalantly leaving the school grounds late Sunday afternoon.
School officials recognized the children on the tape and called police.
They suspects were questioned and arrested. When asked why they would do something like that, two of the girls replied that they were "mad at the school."
"It's disturbing to know that they are capable of doing something like this," Lawrence said.
Three of the suspects were charged with burglary of a structure and criminal mischief. Both are felony charges. The 9-year-old suspect was charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor.
The three girls charged with felonies were taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Ft. Lauderdale for processing.
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