Orangeville Police have charged three youths in connection with several incidents of mischief last weekend involving spraypainting of school buildings and motor vehicles.

In a release Wednesday, police said they received information from a citizen that assisted in identifying the accused, who were arrested Tuesday. One of the three is only 12 years old and the other are 13. They each face 10 criminal charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which prohibits publication of their identities.

At Credit Meadows Elementary School, St. Benedict's Catholic School and St. Andrew's Catholic School, graffiti was spray-painted on the windows, portables and exterior brick of all buildings.

The damage is believed to have happened between Saturday and Monday.

In addition, several vehicles around town were also the target of spray paint by vandals.

Among the vehicles vandalized was a 2007 Cadillac belonging to the Dods & McNair Funeral Home. The vehicle, valued at $70,000, had a fourletter word spray-painted in silver on its trunk and three circles spray-painted in red on its hood.

Funeral director Terry Gauthier said the car is usually kept inside a garage on the property when not in use. It was outside over the weekend, however, because the garage was being used for other purposes.

Mr. Gauthier said staff was able to remove some of the paint with soap and hot water, but was reluctant to try using chemical cleaners for fear they would also remove the Cadillac's clear-coat finish.

He estimates the repair cost could be in the neighbourhood of $5,000 should the vehicle need to be repainted as a result of the vandalism.

Police are also investigating the theft of a construction trailer from a business on Centennial Road sometime between 5 p.m. last Thursday and 11a.m. Friday.

The trailer is described as a 2005 Atlas Cargo trailer bearing Ontario license plate number C4603E.

The enclosed trailer is seven feet wide by 14 feet long with tandem axles, one side door and a rear ramp door. The trailer is black in colour with graphics for D & S Handling Systems on both sides of the trailer.

Anyone having further information with regards to these incidents is encouraged to call the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Orangeville Police Service at 519-941- 2522 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at sdm-crimestoppers. com. Callers remain anonymous and information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for the crime may qualify the caller to receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.