BYU-Idaho apartment complexes vandalized over holiday

by Lacey Smith
Scroll Staff

A vandalism spree involving two apartment complexes and a link to possibly a third vandalized complex is currently being investigated by the Rexburg Police Department.

At least six different apartments were vandalized in two women’s student housing complexes, Arbor Cove on South 2nd West and Birch Plaza on South 1st West The crimes took place sometime between Dec. 21 and Dec. 31.

There is a good possibility other places were involved, police Captain Randy Lewis said.

“This [sort of crime] has never happened before to this extent,” Lewis said. “It was a random-type crime. [The vandals] didn’t specifically target one person or thing.”

The maintenance crews of some of the complexes found the vandalized apartments while they were checking the apartments over the Christmas and New Year’s break. Others were found by tenants themselves who returned early to campus.

While nothing was stolen from the apartments, vandals caused “malicious” property damage, Lewis said.

Human feces was rubbed over walls and doors, accompanied by vulgar words written in marker. Liquid dish-washing soap was poured on beds, floors, furniture and personal items left in the apartments.

Photographs of women clad in only their underwear were left in some of the tenants’ underwear drawers.

“[The vandalism] was pretty well geared towards women’s underwear and sexual-type stuff. We’re dealing with some sickos,” Lewis said.

“Nasty, nasty words” were also scrawled with permanent markers on the walls of the apartment bathrooms, Lewis said.

Most of the apartments were victims of forced entry, but others were possibly left unlocked, Lewis said.

“In the past we’ve had severe problems with students leaving apartments unlocked. It’s a never-ending task [for the police department] to convince students to secure apartments whether they go next door or whatever,” Lewis said.

Five additional apartments were victims of vandalism between Jan. 4-6. The Sunrise complex reported one break-in, and Birch Plaza had four apartments vandalized with no sign of forced entry. Perpetrators dumped various liquid items on womens’ clothing and caused other inside damage.

Monday morning another apartment at Birch was vandalized in a similar fashion to the previous break-ins. Two more apartments at the Sunrise men’s housing complex were also broken into. Nothing was stolen, but damage to a television set was reported.

If caught, the vandals could face charges including felony, malicious injury and burglary. Restitution through the court system will be pursued as well, Lewis said.

“Students are students, and there is a lot of horseplay, but where this is a malicious crime, we treat it differently than a mere prank,” Lewis said.

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