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Salem police charge 3 in paint vandalism
Two vandals also were stealing CDs from cars, police said.
SALEM — The vandalism suspects accused of damaging several vehicles and city dwellings earlier this month are facing numerous charges.
Police charged two men and a juvenile girl with the vandalism, and a second juvenile girl also may be charged.
People on several city streets on Sept. 13 discovered that paint had been poured on their vehicles. Paint also was thrown on Southeast School, the Salem Little Quakers Bingo Hall, the West State Street overpass and a vacant residence on Franklin Avenue, said Detective Dave Talbert.
Police charged Corey R. McElroy, 18, of Merle Road, with 10 counts of criminal damaging and one count of theft and released him on his own recognizance, Talbert said.
Chad R. Anderson, 18, of Fairview Court, is charged with 12 counts of criminal damaging and one count of theft and also was released on his own recognizance.
The criminal-damaging charges are second-degree misdemeanors, which carry a jail term of up to 90 days and a fine up to $750 upon conviction, and the theft charges are first-degree misdemeanors, which carry a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
They are to appear again in Columbiana County Municipal Court next Thursday.
The detective credited Salem Patrolman Dave Banar and Sgt. John Scheets for their investigation into the vandalism.
Talbert explained the damaging charges stem from the paint vandalism.
The theft charge is for thefts of music CDs from the vehicles that were vandalized Sept. 13 as well as other CDs that were taken from cars throughout the city during the summer.
“If you ask them why they did it, they said, ‘We were being stupid,’” Talbert said.
Denise Weingart, an assistant Columbiana County prosecutor, said she would get the information from Salem police and make a decision on how to handle the case involving the juvenile girl. Juvenile court proceedings are aimed at rehabilitation, not punishment, she said.
Two other men were charged earlier this year for spray-painting graffiti in alleys. Talbert said those arrests solved half of the graffiti vandalism in the city.
wilkinson@vindy.com