Three Milford juveniles are facing charges after a string of break-ins and vandalism that left two public schools and the town library damaged, including a racial slur scrawled across school signage, according to Milford police. Investigators say the incidents happened late last week and were pieced together through surveillance footage and tips to school resource officers, then detailed in a department release that also shared photos from the scenes.
How police traced the vandalism
In a press release, the Milford Police Department said detectives found multiple cases of vandalism and property destruction at Stacy Middle School and Memorial Elementary School, then pulled CCTV footage from those campuses along with the Milford Public Library. The review showed the damage occurred last Friday and Saturday, according to the release.
With help from school resource officers, investigators said they identified three juveniles as suspects. The department reported that the vandalism included a racial slur written on school signage, language police described as hateful in their summary of the case.
“The complete lack of respect required to break into and vandalize any property is troubling,” Chief Robert Tusino said in the release, calling it “especially disturbing” that spaces dedicated to educating children were targeted, according to the Milford Police Department. The statement also listed a media contact and underscored that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Charges filed
Each of the three youths has been charged with three counts of breaking and entering into a building during the daytime with intent to commit a felony, three counts of malicious destruction of property and three counts of defacing property, according to a police post that includes scene photos. The post also lists the media contact as [email protected] and again stresses that all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, according to the Milford Police Department.
Legal process for juveniles
Because the defendants are juveniles, their cases are expected to move through the juvenile court system. Massachusetts law provides options for sealing juvenile court records under specific conditions. Mass.gov lays out the sealing process and forms handled by the Office of the Commissioner of Probation.
Where this fits
School officials and law enforcement across the region have been dealing with a spring spike in hateful and disruptive graffiti, with similar cases reported in neighboring communities. Recent coverage of pro-Hitler bathroom graffiti shocks Beverly Middle School has highlighted a broader pattern and renewed calls for both stronger campus safeguards and more robust education efforts.
Milford police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Milford Police Detective Bureau, and say media inquiries can be sent to [email protected]. Officials report that the town’s schools and the library have been working closely with officers on cleanup and security checks while the investigation continues.
