The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s office continues a quiet approach to the Jan. 25 vandalism spree in downtown Berlin suspected to have been perpetrated by a trio of teenagers, but more details continue to emerge from other sources.
Law enforcement logged 10 vehicles, three buildings, four trashcans and 10 electric meters tagged with spray paint at the site.
On the following morning, police received 23 additional reports of damaged vehicles and recovered several discarded cans of spray paint.
An investigation led authorities to two juveniles and one adult, Ocean City resident Jordan Denton, 18. During police interviews one of the juveniles admitted to obtaining the spray paint from a nearby Wal-Mart and “riding around spraying painting vehicles and buildings,” according to the report.
The report went on to state that Denton admitted to stealing the paint from Wal-Mart and “coming to Berlin with the same two juveniles and spray painting cars and buildings.”
Berlin Police said they obtained video from Wal-Mart showing the three suspects stealing spray paint from the store at approximately 9:36 p.m.
The two juveniles were charged through the Department of Juvenile Justice. Denton was charged as an adult with 40 separate counts, including 38 charges of malicious destruction of property, one charge of malicious destruction—scheming and one count of theft less than $100.
Town property damaged during the incident included trashcans, electric meters and one vehicle.
Renaissance Plaza, the Evergreen Masonic Lodge, Town Center Antiques and vehicles registered to Nestle Dreyer’s Ice Cream and Delaware Elevator Inc. also suffered damages.
According to the report, the damages totaled $11,276 and spanned North Main Street, Williams Street, Pitts Street, Henry’s Mill Drive, Harrison Avenue, Littleworth Court, Buttercup Court, Powell Circle, Ann Drive, West Street and Branch Street.
Police said all of the crimes occurred between 9:36 and 11:38 p.m. “pursuant to one scheme and continuing course of conduct, willfully and maliciously defacing [properties].”
Denton was served papers on Feb. 11 and had a scheduled hearing on March 13 at 9 a.m. at the district courthouse in Snow Hill.
The result of the hearing is unknown, although Denton made several posts on Twitter that day including, “Showed up to the courts lookin fly lol” and “I was over an hour late for court and I woke up to sara comin in my room at 8:35 when I had court for 9 haha.”
A new hearing was set for June 19 at 9 a.m. at district court.
