Five charged in slingshot vandalism

Cape Girardeau police arrested five suspects early Wednesday who are believed to be responsible for breaking windows in businesses, vehicles and residences around Cape Girardeau and Jackson this weekend and last year by shooting steel ball bearings with slingshots.

The arrests clear up property damage cases that date as far back as December, said Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Rick Schmidt.

"I know we took 18 reports over the weekend," Schmidt said.

The five suspects were released after each posting a $7,500 bond. All will be arraigned at 9 a.m. today.

Schmidt and Lt. Rodney Barnes in Jackson say they're still counting the number of incidents, going through reports, and could not give an estimate of how many windows were broken or the dollar amount of damage.

Arrested were Chad R. Burton, 18, Lawrence F. Kenkel, and Ian C. Kroenung, 19, all of Cape Girardeau; Jared M. Klein, 18, of Thebes, Ill.; and Jeffrey L. Farris, 19, of Olive Branch, Ill.

In Jackson, the vandalism goes back to last fall, said Barnes of the Jackson police.

"We had businesses damaged, cars in car lots, cars parked alongside of the road," Barnes said. "It's in the thousands, an extreme amount. We don't have everything totaled up yet.

"We are confident that these individuals are responsible for the damage we had in September and October of 2003 as well as the most recent incidents we had."

Schmidt said the police got a break when they were able to track the suspects buying a slingshot and two cases of three-eighth-inch slingshot ammunition at Cape Girardeau's Wal-Mart around 10:15 p.m. March 5. About an hour later, he said, the police department began receiving numerous reports of windows being damaged by steel ball bearings.

"We had a rash of ball bearing window breakouts in car lots, and in businesses' front window glass," Schmidt said.

One broken window was in a customer's tractor parked in the lot of Baker Implement Co. at 401 S. Kingshighway. Although no one found any projectile near the tractor, police told Steve Brown of Baker Implement that the business was directly in a line between Wal-Mart and other businesses that were hit by vandals. It will cost around $350 to replace the window, plus installation.

"We're going to have $500 by the time we're done," Brown said. "I'm glad they found out who it was. I hope they do something to them, make them pay restitution or something."

Both Schmidt and Barnes are hoping the arrests will stop the vandalism.

Barnes said property owners weren't the only victims of these crimes.

"With the overtime and manpower we had to throw into this investigation now and back in September and October, it's an extreme amount," Barnes said. "I'm just thankful it's over."

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160