Police looking for two people accused of vandalizing Bountiful water facility
Jun 27, 2024, 6:49 PM | Updated: 7:03 pm
BOUNTIFUL — Police are looking for two young men who caused approximately $8,000 in damage to the building that houses the city’s main water treatment facility.
The vandalism occurred on June 9, around 8:50 p.m. at the facility in Muller Park. Security video released to KSL TV Thursday showed two young men approaching the building just past the second gated entrance and checking the doors. They then re-entered the video holding what appeared to be a large t-shaped pipe, like those used to shut off a water main.
“The males are hitting the garage doors with the metal pipe,” Lt. Andrew Smith, with Bountiful Police Department, said.
For several minutes the young men targeted the door with the pipe, then started throwing rocks. During that time, a couple was seen walking through the area, however, it didn’t deter the young pair.
“They’re walking past right as the males are hitting the garage doors with the metal pipe, so they would be a great witness for us to be able to talk to,” Smith said.
After the couple passed around 9:00 p.m., the security video showed the young men repeatedly throwing rocks at the building’s security camera, eventually hitting it directly and shattering the lens of the camera.
“When they knocked out the camera it goes very fuzzy and all you can see is shadows walking around,” Smith said.
Lt. Smith said, fortunately, the pair didn’t get inside the water treatment facility. Had they entered the building and caused damage to or tampered with the city’s water system, they could be looking at more than just 3rd-degree felony charges. They could be facing federal charges.
“Obviously if they were able to gain access to the water treatment plant who knows what they could have done. All of Bountiful City’s water runs through that,” Smith said. “It’s their main water plant, and that could have been irreparable damage that could have cost citizens a lot of money, the city a lot of money, and a lot of headache they don’t need.”
Bountiful Police are asking anyone with information about the two young men in the video to contact their department at 801-298-6000.