By LOHR McKINSTRY
MORIAH — While Moriah was tromping Ticonderoga on the football field, three Ticonderoga students were allegedly slathering Moriah Central School with spray paint.
But what the youths apparently didn’t know is that Moriah has exterior security cameras that recorded their actions.
Moriah Town Police reviewed the recordings, and with help from State Police, arrested three Ticonderoga juveniles: 17-, 16- and 14-year-old males.
The three were charged with misdemeanor making graffiti. The 16- and 17-year-olds were given appearance tickets for Moriah Town Court, and the 14-year-old was petitioned to Essex County Family Court.
Moriah Officer-in-Charge Steve Stahl said the incident took place at 10:38 p.m. Oct. 9, just after the big game at Linney Field in Mineville.
Moriah won, 20-0.
Apparently displeased their team had lost, the trio left the football field and went to the school two miles away.
They spray-painted windows at the school, painted graffiti on outside walls, and defaced the school sign out on Plank Road (County Route 4), Stahl said.
“With the combination of the security cameras and a person who lives near the school, who was walking and who chased them, we identified them.”
He said it took the school maintenance staff two days to scrub off the paint. Stahl said restitution will be sought if the youths are convicted.
The graffiti included phrases like “THS Rules” and “Mariah Sucks.” The youths misspelled Moriah as “Mariah,” Stahl said.
Stahl praised Trooper Richard Waldron of the State Police Crown Point satellite station for developing information that led to the arrests.
The Moriah-Ticonderoga game is the culmination of a traditional rivalry between the two schools.
E-mail Lohr McKinstry at:
lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com
