Four Saline-area teens confess to vandalizing homes with obscene graffiti
Police have identified the four youths allegedly responsible for the vandalism of this house and others in Lodi Township last weekend.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
Four teenagers from the Saline area have confessed to spray painting vulgar sexual and racial sentiments in the upscale Brookview Highlands neighborhood in Lodi Township last weekend.
"It was just random acts of stupidity," said Sgt. Geoff Fox of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. "They admitted to the damage and said they weren't targeting anyone in particular."
The suspects include an 18-year-old man, two 16-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy, all of the Saline area. The teens all went to Saline schools, Fox said. They have been released to their parents or guardians.
Just how police caught the teens wasn't being released.
The investigation will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for criminal charges. The teens could face various misdemeanor charges of malicious destruction of property which would mean paying fines and restitution. They also could be sentenced to probation for the offenses.
Residents in the neighborhood were shocked to find the sexually explicit and racially charged epithets painted on their driveways, lawns and cars Saturday morning. Some of the slogans included "black power" and "end slavery." AnnArbor.com cannot repeat all the words or describe the images due to their vulgarity.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Old Salt
Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 7:29 p.m.
The parents of these "Children" should be required to pay for the damged they did. This was not random stupidity it was planned
iCraig
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:39 p.m.
Well said Matt Cooper. Finally, a voice of reason.
Brad
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:28 p.m.
See, had they just been forced to recite the pledge of allegiance every day this never would have happened.
Matt Cooper
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:37 p.m.
It's amazing how many wanna-be editors post here. Here's a clue: If you don't like what you're reading, either start your own online publication where you can post what you want, when you want (cuss words and all), or...stop coming here and reading annarbor.com's articles if they bother you so much that you need to spend time out of your day complaining about the editing, the info. you think ought to be in the articles, the spelling, etc. Annarbor.com staff worked to present this story in a tasteful and appropriate fashion and I think they did a good job with it. If you have some perverse need to sit online and read 4-letter cuss words I'm sure there are other media that can assuage your desires. As for the acts of these children, I hope they are forced to clean off all the paint they put on these peoples properties and that their parents make them go to these homeowners and offer a personal apology. I am not advocating anything here but I can tell you that had I done something like this I would be more afraid of what my mom would have done to me than anything the police or these homeowners would do. I hope they've learned a lesson, but in all honestly I doubt if they have.
Sue
Wed, Aug 29, 2012 : 10:07 a.m.
"As for the acts of these children" The 18 year old is NOT a child and should be prosecuted to the full extent for each account of destruction of property, public obscenities, and contributing to the delinquency of minors. The other "children" should be dealt with firmly through the juvenile system.
Robert Granville
Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 1:54 p.m.
If you don't like it leave.... great sentiment.... I'm sure Ann Arbor.com would be much better off if no one ever gave them any feedback of any kind. /sarcasm
Elaine F. Owsley
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:14 p.m.
Please someone put tethers on these kids so it's known where they are at all times. That kind of stupidity should be carefully monitored. Doesn't the 18 year old qualify as an adult offender?
G-Man
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:39 a.m.
So, can we count on the Parents to ensure that the guilty will go to each home and get the messes cleaned up? Will law enforcement help see to it?
Thinking over here
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:14 p.m.
Yes, they should pay for the cleanup. DOing it would be better, but I understand the reasoning not to want them back. Still one each could go to a house. It's even worse to have to do a cleanup job by yourself...
arborani
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:09 a.m.
"professional." Sorry.
arborani
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:09 a.m.
I don't know that I'd be comfortable with this quartet coming (back) to my home, or with the quality of the cleanup they might do. I *would* be comfortable with proessional cleanup, paid for by the teenagers or their parents.
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:43 p.m.
Nothing about Saline shocks me anymore, not after they started mutilating helpless watermelons out there.
A2James
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:15 p.m.
If Annarbor.com worried about editing their own articles (I have seen some awful edits, and some from senior staff!) as much as they worried about censoring articles and the comments on them, they might actually become that top online newspaper that they so desperately strive to be.
average joe
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:59 p.m.
"Just how police caught the teens wasn't being released" I would assume that since the accused are in their teens, some boasting via twitter, etc. helped get them identified.
a2citizen
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:54 p.m.
In hindsight the solution to publishing the obscenities is simple. Post the mapquest with addresses. Anybody who has a strong need to know the words could just drive there and read them in person. Thanks for reading.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.
So, it sounds like the profiling done by Saline PD was right on? I didn't think we were allowed to profile though. They better continue looking for 80 year old grandmas with wooden legs so they don't get accused of anything.
JRW
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
Since racial slurs were part of this crime, then it would seem to be prudent journalism to include the race of the homeowners who were vandalized with racial slurs and the race of the criminals. If racial slurs in the graffiti wasn't involved, it wouldn't make any difference what race anyone was, but race is involved here and none of the AA dot com articles is reporting the race of the homeowners or the race of the perps. It is important for the community to know why racial slurs were used in the crime, and the only way to begin to deal with that issue is to know the race of the homeowners and the race of the perps. It's an important part of these criminal acts.
Sue
Wed, Aug 29, 2012 : 9:51 a.m.
My guess is it's because the vandals were black and the victims were white, so mentioning race would not politically correct. If it were the other way around, they would not hesitate to inform us of which races were involved, and probably refer to it as a racial hate crime.
conairaa
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:53 p.m.
Regardless of either the victims' or the perpetrators' race or ethnicity, it's a vile crime of stupidity and ignorance, and it has no place in any of our communities. Those responsible must be held accountable for much more than an apology and cleaning up their foul art work.
mrshicks2000
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:53 p.m.
I don't feel that by listing the words will enhance my understanding of this story any more. I agree with the editors on this one. Besides, if this isn't a schoolroom or a nursery, then we are all old enough to figure out which four-letter words were probably used, so really don't need them spelled out for us. True?
justcurious
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 6:19 p.m.
Exactly!
tom swift jr.
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:30 p.m.
Hey aa.com staffers, that little "Thanks for reading." tagline that is always pasted at the end of comments by aa.com staff comes across as condescending and insincere. You're really better off just answering the question/providing the rebuttal and letting it go at that... Just a suggestion.
clownfish
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:24 p.m.
What have we become when thanking people for reading can be seen as bad?
tom swift jr.
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 10:11 p.m.
Or, "Well, bless your heart."
Brad
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:59 p.m.
The journalistic equivalent of "have a nice day".
Angry Moderate
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:18 p.m.
This is the second time in a month that AA.com has censored out swear words found in graffiti--and last time it turned out that people were misinterpreting the story due to the obfuscation (the tagging turned out to be lyrics from a song containing the n-word, rather than a message of racial hatred). The Ann Arbor News used to print "offensive" words when it was relevant to the story--they would just put a warning at the beginning of the article.
John Counts
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:14 p.m.
Every news organization sets their own standards as far as coarse language is concerned. While four-letter words are a part of everyday life, we feel they didn't have a place in this story. Words that are deemed inappropriate to say in public don't seem to have a place in public discourse, including news stories that may be read by children. We felt describing the general gist of what was spray-painted was sufficient for a reader to understand the story. Listing the actual words felt inappropriate and gratuitous. Thanks for reading.
Cathy
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:42 a.m.
Wait, so you're saying AnnArbor.com is a news organization?
WWBoDo
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:54 p.m.
So go one way or the other-publish the 'slogans' or don't--don't publish them selectively. Becomes misleading otherwise.
hfeldkamp
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:38 p.m.
John - you are right on, I don't need to have them all spelled out to "get it". I actually think it is odd of you to want the words all listed, what good is in that?
M
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 4:56 p.m.
Yes, you can repeat the slogans due to their obscenity. The public has a right to know. This is not a schoolroom, this is not a nursery. We can handle the truth, and your censorship shows a complete lack of strong journalistic values.
Milo Jones
Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 12:39 a.m.
Just throwing this out there, I'm pretty sure elementary schoolers don't go on Ann Arbor.com. Also, I work with little kids (lower elementary) and I've experienced them first hand saying things like "The N Word" and "The F word" and the "The K Word". Times have changed, and kids don't Play with cardboard boxes and roll hoops anymore. You need to open up and be more mature, just like kids have tried to become.
hfeldkamp
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:42 p.m.
And now four letter words are "journalistic". I think there are special publications for you, silly discourse for sure.
rm1
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 6:56 p.m.
And if you think the words are really volatile, you can make clear what the words were in this way: "s__t" or "f__k" or whatever. That would do your journalistic job while (I think overly) protecting the tender sensibilities of the most delicate of your readers.
justcurious
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 6:21 p.m.
What the heck difference would it make for you to read the actual words? This is a silly discourse.
Kyle Mattson
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:53 p.m.
Hi Grye- As John mentioned in his comment below we recognize the fact that all readers today are not necessarily adults. The central concern for the police in their report was the damage done to the private property of the residents and we structured our coverage of the matter accordingly.
SEC Fan
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:47 p.m.
The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many...errr...or do i have that backwards?
grye
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:11 p.m.
Maybe annarbor.com thinks they will lose their website if something unsavory is posted, even if it is news. Or maybe they forgot we are all adults and can handle the truth. As far as these adults and kids go, maybe they need a little painting of reality. These were not random acts of stupidity. They were just plain stupid acts and the culprits need to be taught lessons in civility.
Ignatz
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5:09 p.m.
M, I agree with your stance, but all it would take is one "sensitive" individual to be upset. Shortly after that there would be cyber pickets around the website.
Ricebrnr
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 4:45 p.m.
Some of the slogans included "black power" and "end slavery." And the race of the vandals was....?
Sparty
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 8:31 p.m.
How is not about race with the phrases and terms used ? Come on now. These are hateful and vulgar terms with "racial sentiment" according to the Sheriff's Office. I hope they are charged with Hate Crimes in addition to the others noted, as this should not be tolerated anywhere in society. None of this "boys will be boys" stupidity stuff should outweigh the seriousness of what was done.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 4:56 p.m.
if the kids were indeed not black but attempted to deflect blame towards blacks...why that seems pretty hateful to me... guess I'm just weird that way.
Basic Bob
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 9:48 a.m.
It wasn't about race, and it wasn't a hate crime. It was about shock value.
Danai
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 11:20 p.m.
I stand by my comments...which had none of the hostility that yours did @djacks24. Pointing the finger at "Whitey"? I wish we could have discussions on sensitive issues involving race and class without stooping to that kind of commentary.
djacks24
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:57 p.m.
@Danai Nice racial profiling there. I suppose as long as we are pointing the finger at Whitey it's not racial profiling, right?
Danai
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:34 p.m.
I'd be shocked if the teens were anything but white and perhaps from middle or upper class families. They needed a scapegoat to deflect blame from themselves and insinuating that "black folks did it" is an effective modus operandum. Hopefully the teens and the community learn something from the incident.
djacks24
Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:19 p.m.
""It was just random acts of stupidity," said Sgt. Geoff Fox of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. "They admitted to the damage and said they weren't targeting anyone in particular."" Would this still be his opinion if the slogan was white power instead? This would be considered a hate crime then.