TICONDEROGA — Police have arrested two teenage girls for causing more than $1,000 in damage to community flower boxes on the Montcalm Street Bridge in downtown Ticonderoga.
The teens, a 13-year-old from Ticonderoga and 15-year-old from Moriah, whose names were being withheld as they may be given juvenile-delinquent status, were each charged with felony third-degree criminal mischief and will be petitioned into Essex County Family Court.
The 13-year-old was arrested Sunday, and the 15-year-old on Monday. Because they are under 16, they may qualify for juvenile delinquent, and not youthful offender status. The court can order the names withheld of young people who meet either qualification.
The wooden flower boxes were dumped into the LaChute River below the bridge on June 25, the second time in recent years they have been vandalized.
The boxes are a joint project with the Ticonderoga Kiwanis, Country Florist, Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce and Ticonderoga Montcalm Street Partnership.
Costs are $500 in materials to build the boxes, $400 in flowers and 16 liners at $10 each.
Country Florist owner Francine Burke, whose shop is near the bridge, said the flower boxes will be repaired and replanted as soon as possible.
Ticonderoga Town Police handled the case, and Chief Mark Johns said restitution will be requested if the suspects are convicted.
“Investigator Daniel LaFrance and Officer Dale Quesnel deserve a lot of credit for their diligent work. We prioritized resources for this, and we were able to solve it quickly.”
Email Lohr McKinstry:
lmckinstry@
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