East Templeton school damaged

East Templeton school damaged

Area police report an uptick in vandalism during summer months

Eryn Dion News Staff WriterTEMPLETON — The former East Templeton Elementary School building was targeted by vandals this week, as several windows in the closed-off building were broken with rocks, although no items were stolen from inside. This is not first time the building, which could become the new home for the town’s offices, has been vandalized. According to Police Chief David Whitaker, a similar incident occurred around a year ago. “It’s a vacant building, so it’s a target,” Chief Whitaker explained. The former elementary school has been vacant since 2011 and while there are a considerable number of vacant homes and buildings in Templeton, Chief Whitaker said vandalism remains fairly uncommon — although his department does see a considerable uptick in activity during school’s summer vacation.  Gardner Police Lt. Eric McAvene agreed with Chief Whit-aker, saying that with school vacation and warmer weather, children are more likely to be outside and tempted to engage in vandalism. “Vandalism seems to be more of a juvenile crime,” he said.  In Gardner, Lt. McAvene noted an individual responsible for a tagging spree across the city was recently arrested. The department tends to field graffiti calls, with juveniles spray-painting playground equipment and abandoned buildings such as the S. Bent property on Mill Street, he added.  There have also been several instances of new playground equipment being physically damaged, necessitating repairs. In October, a picnic table in Pulaski Playground on Greenwood Street was tagged with graffiti before a fire was lit on it. In 2012, a Gardner man pleaded guilty to numerous instances of vandalism after he shot at the windows of cars and businesses around Templeton and Gardner with a BB gun.