Juvenile vandals cause more than $50,000 of damage to Pocatello home

In April, while Lorraine Bowen was skiing in Utah, three juveniles, aged nine,12 and 13, broke into her Pocatello home and caused a projected $50,000-80,000 worth of damage.

During the span between April 5-13, the juveniles, who Bowen said live right next door, broke into her home through both a doggy door and basement window.

According to the police report, the vandals stabbed a television, stole alcohol, glued Bowen’s refrigerator shut and started two fires, one in the bedroom and one in the garage.

Bowen declined to speak based on the recommendation of her attorney, but her sister, Denise Murdock, said she was furious.

“Who would do that to somebody’s personal property? It was malicious, vicious, it’s horrible.”

According to Lt. Eric Anderson of the Pocatello Police Department, the fires were likely started by the kids as a way to cover up their actions.

“I think they all recognized what they had done, after the fact,” Anderson said.

Of the two fires, the one started in Bowen’s bedroom caused the most damage and almost burned the house down.

Tyler Hargis, the owner of Servpro of Blackfoot/Pocatello, said the worst part was the smoke damage everywhere, but it could have been much worse had the bedroom door been open.

“Thankfully, I don’t know how, but that door was closed and it extinguished itself, otherwise this house would have burned to the ground,” Hargis explained.

In addition to all of the smoke and fire damage, Hargis noted urine on the carpet and paint splattered along the walls.

He and his crews have spent the better part of a month working on the house, cleaning and gutting rooms before work to restore it can begin.

Hargis believes that with all the work that’s been done so far, and all that still needs to be done, the costs will likely be close to $100,000.

Since the incident in April, the juveniles have admitted to causing the damages and all three were charged with arson and malicious injury to property, both felonies.

Now, with the damage totals nearing $100,000, Murdock said the kids need to be held accountable.

“They need to be in juvenile detention, because what if they go out and do it again?”