Four juveniles from ages 12 to 14 were arrested Monday night in connection with the many incidents of spray painting and graffiti in the Cloquet area in recent months.
The most recent spree left Washington Elementary and Cloquet Middle School tagged over the weekend with what appeared to be gang-related words, according to Darrin Berg, Cloquet police detective. Police had also received calls recently about spray-painting on cars, sidewalks and other surfaces.
No one was caught in the act, but on Monday at 10:15 p.m., a Cloquet police officer noticed four individuals crossing Highway 33 headed toward McDonald's and he stopped them.
After talking with them, two of them admitted they had been involved in some of the graffiti incidents, Berg said.
"They admitted to some, but not to the extent we've seen recently," Berg said.
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None of them had spray paint with them, however, so the officer called the kids' parents and guardians, waited until the kids were picked up, and left the area.
On a hunch, the officer later returned to McDonald's to check the dumpster for spray paint cans.
What he found, however, were two of the kids he had previously talked with, spray cans in hand.
Their parents were called again and they were eventually sent home.
Tuesday, Cloquet police officers arrested the four individuals, who were taken to Arrowhead Juvenile Center (AJC).
They have since been released pending further review of the charges by the Carlton County Attorney's Office.
"We've sent evidence to be analyzed and are exploring whether the charges could be enhanced to reflect gang activity since what they wrote related to gangs," Berg said. "However, and I want to stress this point, we do not believe any of these individuals to have any affiliation with gangs. We believe [the people arrested] are intrigued but the connection ends there."
If charged, the juveniles would likely face those at a felony level due to the significant property damaged incurred throughout Cloquet.
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"They have caused a lot of problems by spray painting just about every surface in Cloquet they find," Berg said. "We take these crimes seriously in hopes that they won't turn into more serious crimes down the road."
Any residents who see suspicious behavior are encouraged to call the Cloquet Police Department at (218) 879-1247 or call 911.
"If you see any behavior that seems suspicious to you, then please contact us," Berg said. "If you call 911, just tell the dispatcher you have a non-emergency but want to report suspicious activity. With community involvement, we can more effectively solve crimes."
Those who have experienced loss or damage to property as a result of spray-painting are encouraged to contact the Cloquet Police Department as well.
Pine Journal Editor Lisa Baumann can be contacted at: lbaumann@pinejournal.com .
