Friday, August 21, 2009

Police bust 6 teens for graffiti vandalism

Police say group is not a ‘structured’ gang


By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

A task force of local law enforcement agencies reported Wednesday that one adult and five juveniles have been charged with vandalism for allegedly writing graffiti on buildings and other structures in the Wood River Valley.

The task force identified the adult as 18-year-old Cary Reinemann, no address available. The task force, comprised of the Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey police departments, did not release the names of the juveniles.

The suspects are accused of writing graffiti on trash containers, business buildings, portable lavatories, street signs and bridges in the Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey and Bellevue areas.

The task force reported that the six suspects were part of a group calling itself the West Ketchum Gang.

"Police have interviewed the suspects about this WKG group and they have told police they are not a gang and it was a joke to call themselves as such," the task force reported in a news release. "The participants in these crimes do not appear to be part of a structured gang but are merely local teenagers vandalizing our community."

Some of the graffiti bore the initials "WKG" and police were able to identify members of the group through a Facebook Web site posting.

The task force reported that some of the suspects may later be charged with felonies if damages exceed $1,100 per incident.

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com




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