Jun 19, 2009 6:06 pm US/Central
3 Arrested In School Bus Arson Case
FRIDLEY, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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An 18-year-old Champlin man identified as Nicholas John Hansen was being held at the Anoka County Jail Friday.
Anoka County Sheriff's Office
Some teens were under arrest Friday, accused of setting school buses on fire. Fridley Police said they did it for the adrenaline rush.
Early Wednesday morning, a neighbor reported two buses on fire in the parking lot at Totino Grace High School. A tip helped solve the case.
"I don't know what they were thinking when they decided, 'let's go set these buses on fire'. I really can't imagine why anybody would want to do that," said student Libby Norris.
Libby and her classmates on the Totino Grace campus for summer sports were in disbelief. The buses they would take to games and other activities were torched. Police said three male teenagers, unconnected with the school, were responsible.
Police said a 13-year-old from Fridley, a 17-year-old from Brooklyn Park and 18-year-old Nicholas John Hansen from Champlin admitted to the crimes. They were all arrested.
"The 18-year-old kid told us that it was really a crime of mischief. He says he gets an adrenaline rush out of creating mischief," said Fridley Police Lieutenant Mike Monsrud.
Fridley police recovered surveillance tape showing three juvenile males running from the scene, but the real break in the case came with a call to the arson hotline.
The tip led them to Hansen who, police said, turned over his buddies. The three are also blamed for a toppled porta-potty at a park across the street as well as knocked-over trash cans.
"There's also sadness I think, knowing that it's three teenagers who have been arrested. While we don't know these boys but we're sad to know that it's teenagers who have caused this damage and sad for their families," said Tontino Grace High School Principal Julie Michels.
Those buses were purchased through donations from friends of Totino Grace. They're worth $100,000 dollars. The buses were insured and the school hopes to be able to replace them before the school year starts.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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