No felony charges for men accused of mailbox vandalism

Three men who police say destroyed more than a dozen mailboxes in Campton Hills won't face felony charges in the spree of vandalism, which was caught on video.

Village police had sought to have the trio's offenses upgraded to felonies from misdemeanors, a move rejected by Kane County prosecutors, Police Chief Greg Anderson said Thursday.

The 20-year-olds were arrested March 2 after a resident spotted them trashing a mailbox on Campton Ridge Drive, police have said.

The men were videotaping the vandalism and had video of them kicking and using their bodies to run over about 19 mailboxes, police said.

Charged with two counts each of misdemeanor criminal damage to property were David J. Brainerd of St. Charles, and Walter R. Shales and Stephen P. Smith of Elgin.

Crime in Campton Hills is low and the spree of vandalism outraged several residents.

A few days after the arrests, Anderson had told the village board he would seek felony punishment for the trio and try to recoup the cost of the investigation.

The bid for felony offenses fell short after police were unable to prove the amount of the damage warranted the increased charges, Anderson said.

Nearly all of the destroyed mailboxes were valued at $50 to $75 each, but one apparently had been made by an artist for a resident and was worth several hundred dollars, he said.