Police: 2 more teens accused of vandalizing abandoned Dowling College campus in Oakdale
Suffolk County has not yet received a response regarding their attempt to buy the former Dowling College property from Mercury International.
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Two 14-year-old boys are accused of vandalizing and spray-painting a building on the abandoned Dowling College campus in Oakdale.
Police say the incident happened around 4:25 p.m. on Wednesday.
MORE: Police release new pictures of suspects wanted for vandalism at Dowling College site
They say officers responded to a 911 call about youths vandalizing a building with spray paint. The suspects, who left the scene prior to police arriving, were later located a short distance from the campus and placed under arrest.
Police say a backpack containing spray paint and a stolen item were recovered.
It marks a string of over two dozen arrests involving vandalism and break-ins at the property.
Suffolk County recently sent a letter of interest to the owner of property, Mercury International, to take over the site. It would be a first step in the process for the county’s Open Space Preservation Program.
The county has not yet received a response regarding their attempt to buy the former Dowling College property from Mercury International.
The Dowling property’s Huntington-based caretaker and a Mercury International employee told News 12 that he has yet to receive a request from the county.
Suffolk County Legislator Anthony Piccirillo says the county has sent letters.
MORE: Police: 6 teens arrested in string of vandalism cases at former Dowling College campus
“We sent hundreds of letters before and we never had someone say they never got the letter, so I find it odd that they didn’t get this correspondence,” says Piccirillo.
Piccirillo says Mercury International has all but abandoned its responsibility. He says they cannot have Suffolk County police and residents acting as police for a foreign entity.
The Suffolk County legislator says he plans to follow up with the Department of Economic Development Friday to put pressure on the property owner to respond to the county request.
The teens are facing several charges including burglary in the second degree and making graffiti as juvenile delinquents.
They were released to their parents and were issued a family court appearance.
