Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
Teen Vandals' Scheme Gets An 'F' For Execution

POSTED: 5:52 pm EST March 10, 2005
UPDATED: 9:07 pm EST March 10, 2005

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- It's pretty much base knowledge that most of the time, kids don’t like homework. One Treasure Coast teen, however, has more than a few reasons to resent it.

Police said four teens were caught in a recurring vandalism scheme after a piece of one 13-year-old's homework was left behind at the scene.

Over the last two weeks, vandals have picked apart Joesph Bernstein's boat, tying his ropes in the trees and tossing his motor into the river.

Bernstein's boat is his passion and his home. It is the only thing he got from a divorce, he said.

"They destroyed my rails," he said. "They broke all the windows. They just had a good time, those little savages."

Day after day, Bernstein found his belongings scattered.

"As many times as I tried to catch them, I couldn't," he said. "It was so hard. I'd get off work early and they'd already (have been) here and gone. I didn't have any idea until I found a piece of homework paper, and I looked at it and said, 'I gotcha!'"

It was a middle school science notebook with one of the vandals' names on it.

On Saturday, Bernstein found his boat saturated with gas and oil, so he went to Port St. Lucie police with the notebook, and police went straight to the 13-year-old suspect.

"It's just irrefutable evidence," said Detective Lee Rehm, of Port St. Lucie police.

The 13-year-old told police about his three co-vandals and all four confessed to the crimes.

"They are serious crimes," said Rehm. "We're talking about three felonies and one misdemeanor, per child, per incident."

"Whatever the judge hands out, I hope he makes sure the parents pay restitution for my problems here. This is my home," Bernstein said.

Arrest warrants are going out now, and the parents of all four juveniles said they'll bring them in. Bernstein estimates his total losses at $5,000.

Police divers expect to search the water around the boat in the next few days to try to recover some of Bernstein's belongings.

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

A buddy of mine was working a string of burglaries. Finally, they got a break in the one. One of the kids involved dropped a school text book from his back pack that they were using to stuff items into. Went to school the next day and picked up the kid. Doh!!

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

Little buggars!!! :mad: I would say, "what is wrong with kids today?", but I think they need to look at - and hold - the parents liable as well as the kids!! Nice after-school activities... a little time in juvy would do them a world of good for sure!! Not to mention they should be forced to go down and clean that guys boat once a week - Saturdays would be perfect - :D - for a good 6 months, chit like that chaps my azz!!!

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

The EPA finds that some of this hit the water, look out!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

As I understand the law (help me out here Troutly!), those kids parents are liable for their childrens vandelous actions... and will be the ones finacially responsible for restitution to this man. If I were their parent, 6 months in juvy or even death would be a welcome relief from my rath!!!!! One word I just don't think kids today understand, and I see it nearly every day:

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I see adults being disrespected by teenagers everywhere I go. They disrespect adults at the movies, Mc Donalds, skating rinks, malls (especially at the malls), beaches, and just about everywhere I go. When was the last time you saw some little prick of a kid lip off to an adult and think to yourself "If I would have said/done that when I was his/her age, my dad/mom would have killed me!" I'll bet it wasn't that long ago.... Yesterday for me....

O.K. I'll get down from my soap box now..


One more thing!! Spank em!!! Whack em on the ass till they cry!!! Use the wooden spoon, the paddle, a belt, your hand, whatever!!! Then throw em in juvy.


Whew.... I'm worked up just typing that!!!

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

the apple usually doesn't fall far from the tree.... if the kids don't respect stuff at that age, i doubt the parents do either... if your kids are out doing this kind of stuff, i would say it is safe to assume that you have failed as a parent if you haven't planted that voice in your kids head that says "hey, this is wrong..." and i am not talking about kids that were having fun and it just got out hand, but kids commiting felonies and in this case, repeatedly... stick the parents in a jail cell with bubba and stick the kids in there with them, because that is where these kids are gonna end up...

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

Right on Wasabe!! 6 months might be a little harsh but give them a good scare anyway... I've caught kids vandalizing my car wash and they giggle and laugh and think this kind of stuff is cute...

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

Beat them little ***s Beat em good

Re: Homework Leads Police To Boat Vandals
 

6 months is harsh ??? give me a break,, they should get 6 years... Bastages.. :mad: