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Accident Brings Injury

By TOM OBRZUT JR.; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Saturday, February 12, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: SCHOOL VANDALS NOW FACE
ONLY ONE CHARGE 





EXETER -- Borough police chief John McNeil said vandals who caused more
than $76,000 in damage to the Wyoming Area High School in 1991 may never be
charged because the statutes of limitations on two of the three possible
charges in the case have expired. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If caught, the vandals could have been charged with criminal mischief,
institutional vandalism and burglary. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The burglary charge, with a statute of limitations of five years, is the
only charge that still could be filed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The criminal-mischief statute is two years and institutional-vandalism
statute is 30 days. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sometime after midnight on Dec. 29, 1991, the vandals entered the school by
breaking a small alcove window on the first floor, police said. School
officials discovered the damage the next morning. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Trophy cases were smashed, water was left running to ruin carpeting and
ceilings, pages from books were torn, and tables and chairs were toppled. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Right now, McNeil said the investigation is at a standstill. Although his
department received some new information in August, nothing came of it, he
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McNeil said the number of suspects has been narrowed to five, and he
confirmed the suspects were all former Wyoming Area students. He said he does
not have enough evidence to charge any of them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But high school principal P.J. Melvin still holds out hope someone will be
charged with the crime. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I honestly believe they will be caught, and it will come out in the wash,"
Melvin said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The district constantly is trying to solicit information from both students
in school and from parents, students and friends outside the school, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But McNeil concedes it gets more difficult to crack the case as time goes
on. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even though the damage exceeded $76,000, business manager Harry Giacometti
said it only cost the district $1,000 for the deductible. And the district's
insurance premiums didn't go up, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If anyone has any information on the break-in, call McNeil at 654-3001. cq

School Vandals Now Face 
Only One Charge If Caught 
Statutes Of Limitations 
Mean Whoever Ransacked 
Wyoming Area High School 
In December 1991 Could 
Get Off Scot-free

School Vandals Now Face Only One Charge If Caught Statutes Of Limitations Mean Whoever Ransacked Wyoming Area High School In December 1991 Could Get Off Scot-free