Three charged with vandalism in Bolingbrook

One powerful slingshot and three bored teenagers resulted in thousands of dollars of damage to cars and houses on Bolingbrook's east side this month, police said Friday.

The damage to homes was incidental. The teens said they were aiming at parked cars but occasionally missed, Bolingbrook police Lt. Ken Teppel said.

Three people were arrested Wednesday -- each charged with 23 counts of criminal damage: Ricardo O. Valdez, 18, of 445 Rockhurst Road; Carlos O. Balderas-Alvarado, 19, 244 Edgehill Drive; and Gustavo Hernandez, 18, 232 Edgehill Drive, all of Bolinbrook.

The slingshot is still missing.

Teppel said there was no precipitating incident for the damage.

"They were just bored," he said.

Apparently, the suspects got nervous at one point and ditched the slingshot in the field behind a local store, Teppel said. When they went back with detectives to retrieve it, the slingshot was gone.

The bulk of the damage was reported on May 12 through May 14, and police initially suspected someone was using a BB gun because the holes were so small, Teppel said. It turns out the suspects were using small ball bearings and rocks in the slingshot, Teppel said.

Detectives still are looking at another 15 reports to see whether they might be related to the case, Teppel said.