Monday, September 12, 2011

Two accused of defacing public property with paintballs in Nazareth

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Nazareth police say they charged two people with using paintball guns to deface public buildings and vehicles in the downtown area.

Borough police Chief Thomas Trachta on Friday said police the week before had found white paint sprayed on the outside of a vehicle. When they searched the vehicle, they found both a paintball gun and cans of paintballs in the same area of the vehicle.

Trachta said it is illegal under state law to keep a paintball gun and ammunition in the same area of a vehicle.

Police charged both with defacing public property. The driver of the vehicle -- a juvenile male who isn’t being identified -- faces additional charges for the items in the vehicle, Trachta said.

A passenger in the vehicle, a 21-year-old man, also was charged. Police did not immediately identify him.

Trachta said the pair had been accused by witnesses of pointing the paintball gun out of a sunroof and aiming at parked cars and buildings. Trachta said a textile building had been targeted, as well as several homes on High Street near the borough’s park. The rash of incidents occurred throughout the past few weeks, he said.

The incidents remain under investigation by borough police. Trachta said police are searching for four other possible suspects.


http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2011/09/two_charged_in_defacing_public.html

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