Two teen brothers, 13 and 17, arrested, charged with YMCA vandalism in Port St Lucie

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Port St. Lucie Police arrested two teen brothers Monday on several felony charges, linking them to significant damage caused last week at a YMCA facility and other criminal acts, police said Tuesday.

The brothers, ages 13 and 17, gave "no rhyme or reason" when questioned about their actions, said Officer Tom Nichols, police spokesman. Each teen was arrested on four counts of burglary, two counts of felony criminal mischief and single counts each of arson and grand theft. All the charges are felonies, Nichols said.

The siblings said they broke into the YMCA of the Treasure Coast's Bayshore Afterschool site at Jaycee Park early Nov. 8, leaving the facility with extensive damage, Nichols said.

Sinks and toilets at the facility in the 1300 block of Southwest Bayshore Boulevard were broken, causing flooding. Further, lights were broken, computers destroyed and a copier was tossed on the lawn, the YMCA has stated. The YMCA runs before- and after-school care programs for more than 50 children from the location. Initial estimates provided last week indicated the damage could be as much as $20,000.

Nichols said each sibling accused the other in connection with earlier vandalism activity to passenger buses at the YMCA facility.

The siblings are home schooled and live on Southwest Exmore Avenue, which is near Jaycee Park, Nichols said. He said the boys' parents were "shocked and livid but they were also cooperative with police."

Police also say the siblings burglarized several transport vehicles in the 1300 block of Southwest Biltmore Street on the same day as the damage to the YMCA facility occurred. Police learned of the siblings Monday as they investigated additional burglaries to the same transport vehicles, Nichols said.

The siblings were taken to the St. Lucie Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Fort Pierce.