Teens charged with causing $50,0000 in damage to house

MONROE-State Police have arrested two Monroe-area teens on charges that they burglarized a Chester house and caused more than $50,000 worth of damage. According to a press release from investigators at the State Police barracks in Monroe, the incident happened this way: On Feb. 26, Maxwell Pierre reported to State Police that someone had broken into his newly purchased home, located at 860 Lakes Road (Memory Lane) in the town of Chester , and had caused extensive damage to the interior. He told investigators that when he made a final walk-through inspection of the house on Feb. 11, the house was not damaged. He closed on the property on Feb. 25. The next day, when he arrived at the house to do some last-minute cleaning prior to moving in, he found that holes had been knocked into the walls of every room of the residence. He also reported that light fixtures were torn from the ceilings and kitchen cabinet doors were torn off. Both toilets were smashed and the running water damaged the ceilings. Exterior windows also were broken throughout the house. He estimated that it would cost at least $50,000 to repair. After a two-week investigation, with wide spread press from the local media, the investigators focused on two local teens. Interviews with numerous neighbors and concerned citizens led State Police investigators to a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old, who reside in the neighboring Lake Hill Farms housing development in Monroe. Police said the youths told them that they were friends with the previous home owners, and they even helped the previous owners pack their moving van when they moved out of the residence in early February. Information from the interviews also revealed that the youths knew the house was empty and they wanted to see what had been left behind. The investigation also determined that the two youths did not know, and had never seen, the new owners, police said. The defendants were charged with second-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief , both felonies. The 14-year-old was released into the custody of his parent, pending a Family Court appearance on March 29. The 16-year-old, Devon Peters of Monroe, was arraigned before the Chester Town Justice Janet Haislip and sent to the Orange County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $25,000 bond