Arson Evidence Continuously Evolving

by admin on October 25, 2011

There is a long and detailed articles about investigating criminal arson charges in Discover Magazine. [click to continue…]

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Civil Charges for Criminal Property Damage

by admin on March 18, 2011

The teens from the malicious damage to personal property charges in Massachusetts, may not be off the hook yet.

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Malicious Destruction Charges in Massachusetts House Party

March 17, 2011

Four Massachusetts teens were convicted of a malicious destruction of property under $250, after a series of house parties that allegedly resulted in over $50,000 worth of damage to an East Bridgewater home.

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Felony Criminal Mischief Charged in Art Destruction

October 7, 2010

A woman who was offended by a piece of artwork in a museum was charged with felony criminal mischief after destroying a piece in a Colorado museum. 

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Prison for Accidental Property Destruction?

September 13, 2010

If your actions cause enough damage, you can definitely go to prison for criminal property damage or malicious mischief. That’s what happened to two men in California, after they were found guilty of carelessly and illegally starting a fire that got out of control and led to multiple homes burning down.

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Criminal Mischief Often Prank Gone Wrong

April 19, 2010

Criminal mischief is one of those criminal offenses that often starts out as a dare or a prank. However, far from funny, this is a serious criminal charge. A good example of this recently came out of New Jersey where two teens are suspected of breaking into an empty home, watching television and eating before [...]

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Prank Calls to Hotels Claiming Fire

June 25, 2009

There has been a disturbing run of prank calls to hotels in Alabama (H/T: Here and Now) as well as in California, Nebraska, and Arkansas. The caller tells hotel employees that they must urgently turn on sprinklers and break windows. This action is more than just a prank, it is a criminal offense. In most [...]

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Study Finds Property Crimes Increase During a Recession

January 22, 2009

More than likely that headline did not come as a surprise. Property crimes like theft and property destruction are often crimes of necessity. People are more willing to break the law when they are struggling to pay their bills and keep their homes out of foreclosure. A statewide study in Virginia affirms this long standing [...]

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