By Jason C. Mattox

Eight juveniles were detained by Batesville police Saturday after vandalism was discovered at American Legion Park.

A group of youngsters and adults conducting a fund-raiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the skateboard park had noticed a second group gathered at the park’s baseball field.

When the skateboarding group saw freshly painted  graffiti on the dugout, they called police, who apprehended the painters.

Skatepark Committee chairman Emily Griste was among those who witnessed the vandalism and called police.

“It just so happened that on the day we were having the Skate for Cancer event that we caught a group of 10 kids spray painting the park facilities among other things in town,” Griste said later.

Two of the juveniles, both 13, admitted to using the spray paint at the park and were charged with malicious mischief, according to a report from the Batesville Police Department.

When officers arrived on the scene, a call was made to Batesville Building Supply where subjects reportedly stole four cans of spray paint.

The report states that the owner of Batesville Building Supply identified the spray paint as his property, but was unable to identify which of the suspects had allegedly stolen the merchandise.

All subjects were released to their parents.

In other weekend activity:

•BPD investigated a vehicle burglary on Martin Luther King Drive. Items reportedly taken from the vehicle included cosmetics, the radio and the battery. Total estimated property loss was $390.

•Mario Argueta was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and transported to the David M. Bryan Justice Complex.