Three Waukesha students cited for participating in junior/senior prank wars

Staff photo by Scott Ash
Waukesha police car
Published on: 5/5/2015

The junior/senior prank wars that saw many acts of vandalism in recent weeks in Waukesha has resulted in three adult high school students receiving ordinance violations for disorderly conduct.

Lt. Joe Hendricks of the Waukesha Police Department said there were five reported incidents over the past month of students vandalizing homes and one led to police discipline.

After the acts sparked media coverage from many outlets in recent days, Hendricks said in a news release on Wednesday, May 6, that the Waukesha Police Department began receiving calls from residents complaining of juvenile pranks in their southwest side neighborhoods in mid-April.

Hendricks said it was believed that "these customary high school pranks were isolated to a few incidents leading up to prom" and that there have been no reported incidents since May 2.

While similar incidents have occurred in the past around this time, the acts this year caused serious concern from parents, who wanted an extra police presence in their neighborhoods.

The areas that were struck by the "prank wars" centered around neighborhoods near Waukesha West High School.

The incidents

The most excessive act of vandalism this year appears to have taken place at a house in the 3600 block of Rivers Crossing Drive.

According to the police blotter on April 27, three to four juveniles took toilet-papering to another level.

They not only toilet-papered trees on a man's property, but shaving cream was found on the bushes, syrup and ketchup were poured on the sidewalk, salt and bird seed were scattered on the grass, a clay pot was found smashed in his driveway and fishing line was tied around the house.

The caller said his teenage daughter believes she knows who did it and would call back if they find out who did it. The caller said he has a high school junior and said the seniors apparently do these acts to the juniors around prom time.

Recently, another caller in the 3600 block of Rivers Crossing Drive, requested extra patrols due to a previous bad experience with prank wars. The caller said their residence had damage last year and is hoping to prevent it this year.

Likewise, nearby, a parent of a Waukesha West student wanted police to keep an extra eye on the family's house after they heard their house at Tanager Court might get "hit" from the junior/senior wars.

The caller, who said the family's house was vandalized previously, is concerned it may be a problem again.

Police told the caller extra officers in the southwest part of the city would keep an eye on the issue. Officers also told the caller to talk with neighbors to keep an extra eye out for one another in addition to installing extra exterior lights/motion lights. Police advised the caller to speak with West's school resource officer if problems arise.

Moreover, a woman reported her daughter was told at school that their house was going "to get it tonight with Saran wrap" in the 1200 block of Swallow Road. Hours later, their vehicle ended up having powder sugar and ravioli on it at 1:54 a.m. May 2.

North of these homes, a caller in the 700 block of Cambridge Ave. said for two straight nights his yard was toilet-papered and food was thrown throughout his property. The homeowner, who cited the junior/senior wars, wanted an extra check of his residence.

Actions have consequences

Capt. Ron Oremus of the Waukesha Police Department said juveniles can still be cited for disorderly conduct and even arrested for mild acts such as toilet-papering or leaving boxes of pasta on someone's lawn.

But he added it becomes more serious when vandalism is taken to another level, such as when cars get egged, vehicles or homes are spray painted, or rocks are thrown at a home.

"We have issues where stuff starts getting damaged," Oremus said. "Obviously that's a greater concern, so that rises to a criminal level."

Oremus advises youths to think about the consequences of their actions before deciding to participate in vandalism acts as the school year winds down and the summer begins.

"We ask that kids consider these long-term implications as they're making the decisions to go out and do these things that they would call fun," Oremus said.