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5 teens arrested for vandalizing Dunwoody park

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police have arrested five teens for damaging a community park and garden late last month.

The teens are now facing serious felony charges.

"It looked a tornado hit the garden. Lettuce everywhere, plants destroyed," Amanda Harris told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik.

Harris tends a plot at the Brook Run Community garden. Every month the garden donates food to a local food pantry.

"We had all kinds of food ready to go for that Tuesday to go over there. Completely destroyed," Harris said.

Dunwoody police told Petchenik they've now charged five 16-year-olds with felony damage to property.
Four of the teen are from Dunwoody and the other is from Roswell.

"We're not sure what the motive was. They are teenagers, 16-years-old, probably more of just mischief, doing something in the middle of the night they weren't supposed to," Sgt. Mike Carlson of the Dunwoody Police Department said.

Carlson said the severe charges reflect the amount of damage done to the park.

"They (need) to think before they act and think they're doing a prank or a joke, the consequences can be detrimental for their careers," Carlson said.

"I'm very happy they got caught," Harris said.

Harris once worked in the juvenile justice system and said felony charges like this should send a strong message to other teens.

"It's huge. It ruins their life. Chances of college are pretty much shot. All for one night of tearing up a garden," Harris said.

Petchenik talked to the director of the board for the community park. He said he would like to see the teens ordered to do community service at the park to help those who run it.