An 18-year-old man and three 17-year-old boys have been charged with causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage to Allentown’s Lights in the Parkway holiday display, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office and city police.
Daniel Weaver, 18, of Lower Macungie Township, is charged with two felony counts of criminal mischief. He was arraigned Friday and freed on $10,000 unsecured bail.
The juveniles, whose names aren’t being released, also were charged with criminal mischief.
The damage to the display, discovered Dec. 14, is estimated at more than $46,500. It included the destruction of display fixtures, bent light poles and posts and crushed light bulbs. In addition, a portable restroom was pushed into the Little Lehigh Creek.
Video surveillance and interviews led to the charges, the DA’s office said in a news release. According to the criminal complaint, Weaver admitted to police that he was at the park but denied taking part in the vandalism, blaming the three boys.
The complaint says Weaver also admitted being present during the theft of light fixtures from the display a week earlier but denied taking part in it.
The fixtures were discovered at the home of one of the three boys, two of whom implicated Weaver in both the thefts and vandalism. Video confirmed Weaver’s presence, the complaint says.
The case was investigated by Allentown Detective Ariel Vidal and will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Gregory R. Englert.
The city set up a donations pay to defray the cost of repairs to the popular attraction.