Press Release
In the early morning hours of Thursday, May 19, a group of juveniles vandalized over 60 mailboxes in and around the Lake Monticello area.
The Fluvanna Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the Lake Monticello Main Gate staff, was able to locate a video of a possible suspect vehicle. The sheriff’s office posted photos of the suspect vehicle on its Facebook page (barcode data was not yet available). Shortly thereafter, it received information about the possible operator of the suspect vehicle and potential additional occupants inside. The barcode data from the Lake Monticello Owners’ Association was also obtained and matched a detailed description to the Jeep posted on Facebook. Sheriff’s deputies then located the registered owner of the vehicle.
Sheriff’s deputies and Lake Monticello Police Officers continue to gather information on this incident. Currently, three suspects (juveniles) have been identified, with multiple charges pending.
The case of the vehicle break-ins that occurred on May 17 remains under investigation and is not thought to be related to the vandalized mailboxes.
As these events both occurred in the same week, they seem very atypical; however these types of spree vandalisms and thefts are not uncommon in this area when the weather turns warm.
The Fluvanna Sheriff’s Office and Lake Monticello Police Department work together in patrolling the Lake Monticello community, with increased patrols during the summer months.
We ask that you help protect yourself by locking your home and car and removing valuables from your vehicle. Good security lighting and cameras are always encouraged for enhanced home security.
