BELFAST — Two local teens are each facing 10 charges of criminal mischief after police identified them as responsible for political graffiti that appeared on the walls of local businesses between 10 and 11 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 7. The teenagers, both 17-year-old students at Belfast Area High School, aren't being identified by Belfast Police due to age, according to Sergeant John Gibbs of the Belfast Police Department.

 "When I came in Monday I had a single complaint on [the cement walls by] the Boathouse,” he said. "I went and looked, and figured there were probably others.”

His instincts were right. Some of the other businesses and structures that the duo spray painted included the Co-op, Consumer Fuel, French & Webb, Pineland Coin-Op Laundry, Penobscot Frozen Food and Mathews Brothers.

Belfast Police were able to determine the spray paint had been purchased at Belfast Variety earlier Sunday.

Police had video stills and Belfast Police Officer Greg Stearns, who is also a resource officer at Belfast Area High School, was able to identify them.

Gibbs said the teens admitted to spraying the graffiti.

As for the motive behind the spray-painted messages, all of which were political in some regard, was a generalized dissatisfaction toward different current events and questioning the government, Gibbs said.

In addition to facing the legal ramifications of their spree, the two will be responsible for the expenses incurred by the businesses to remove the graffiti.

"It's not like they can go wash it off," Gibbs said. The work will likely require a pressure washer.

The damage was extensive, said Gibbs.

By Tuesday evening, Sept. 9, much of the marks remained, although several businesses painted over the tags until they can be permanently removed.

Gibbs said that by the end of the conversation with police, the two teens seemed to have a better understanding of their local government. More specifically, Gibbs said, they seemed to appreciate that the specific issues they disagree with are not controlled by local law enforcement or government, and certainly not by the fellow residents whose businesses were vandalized.

"I feel like a better relationship has been built between the suspects and police as a consequence,” Gibbs said. "Chief Mike McFadden and I both spent a substantial amount of time with each of them and I think they have a better understanding of the police.”

Belfast Police are still looking for a third unaffiliated vandal, who added tags in the same area, but independent of the two juveniles.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com