Mt. Juliet Police Chief Tyler Chandler warned that prank war participants face criminal charges after more than 13 vandalism incidents hit city neighborhoods.
The department had completed nine incident reports and fielded five additional calls for service as of Monday, Sept. 28, according to NewsChannel 5. Three active criminal vandalism investigations are underway in cases where victims chose to pursue prosecution, the department said in a Sept. 24 statement.
The incidents have gone well beyond the toilet-papering that once defined the tradition. Police listed reckless driving through neighborhoods, driving without headlights, chasing other participants in vehicles, shooting paintballs at cars and causing dents, breaking residential windows and damaging landscaping.
On the night of Wednesday, Sept. 23, one homeowner and her husband discovered their front door and siding covered in ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and chocolate syrup. Their car had been hit with spaghetti sauce. The grease left permanent stains on parts of the house, the homeowner told NewsChannel 5. She asked not to be identified for fear her home would be targeted again.
She does not have teenage children living with her.
Officers told her other homes hit that same night belonged to families with Green Hill High School students. She told NewsChannel 5 she plans to press charges.
That night, police also received multiple calls about people driving recklessly in dark clothing and ski masks. One Mt. Juliet neighbor told WSMV on Sept. 25 that encountering strangers in ski masks at night could force a homeowner into a split-second decision about self-defense.
A separate resident told WSMV that teenagers dumped flour in his yard and threw barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, mayo and salad dressing on his driveway and garage doors. The mixture left stains on his garage door that he could not remove.
"We will press charges for sure … I don't think these kids realize that it is causing damage," the resident told WSMV.
Chandler said in the department's statement that what officers are seeing has crossed far beyond harmless fun. He urged students and parents to take the situation seriously before someone gets hurt or a young person faces consequences that last far longer than one night.
The statement put it bluntly: entering another person's property or damaging homes, vehicles, mailboxes or landscaping may result in criminal charges and restitution. Reckless driving may also lead to enforcement action.
Some residents have turned over security camera footage to police. No arrests or charges had been publicly announced as of Tuesday, Sept. 29.
The three investigations remain open. Residents with information can contact the Mt. Juliet Police Department.
