Three suspects have been arrested for allegedly damaging property in a rash of recent eggings in De Soto and Potosi, and a fourth suspect is still at large, authorities said Tuesday (July 25).
An 18-year-old Mineral Point man, a 17-year-old Potosi man, and an 18-year-old Potosi woman were arrested and released pending applications for warrants. The fourth suspect, a 17-year-old Mineral Point man, was still being sought, Potosi Police Chief William Gum said.
The eggings occurred overnight between July 21 and July 22, police said.
De Soto Police received 10-12 reports about eggings, and Potosi Police received 22 egging reports, the police chiefs from those two towns reported.
Of the eggings in De Soto, four caused damage to vehicles, and in Potosi, there were five cases of damage to vehicles, the chiefs said.
De Soto Police Chief Rick Draper said eggs can cause paint on vehicles to chip and peel.
Suspects in the eggings were identified after personnel at the De Soto Walmart Supercenter tipped off police that 20 dozen eggs had been purchased there on July 20, Draper said.
A large number of eggs also were purchased at the Potosi Walmart, Gum said.
Draper said that after police first learned about some of the vandalism, they made an appeal to the public, asking local residents to report the eggings they knew about.
“We immediately put a (post) on Facebook and began receiving calls regarding damage to property,” Draper said.
Both Gum and Draper said police did not have a cost estimate for the damage to vehicles.
“We are still speaking with victims,” Draper said. “Depending on the total cost of damage, we may seek charges for felony property damage through the Jefferson County prosecuting attorney. We are still very much at the beginning of our investigation.”
Both Walmart stores provided police with videos that showed the unusually large egg purchases and that footage was used to identify the suspects.
De Soto Police called Potosi Police and the two departments collaborated in the investigation.
“Potosi took one suspect in to custody. A short time later, another suspect turned himself in to the De Soto Police Department and a third turned herself into Potosi later in the weekend. The fourth suspect is still outstanding,” Draper said.
Gum said the fourth suspect is aware he’s listed as wanted.
“He knows we are looking for him, and I think he’s trying to hide,” Gum said.
The names of the suspects will not be released unless formal charges are filed.
Draper said there was a similar incident earlier this summer in De Soto.
“We believe that several of these subjects were also involved in property damage with eggs about a month ago here in De Soto,” Draper said.
He said eggings are not uncommon in De Soto but usually are isolated incidents that occur three or four times a year.
Gum said De Soto Police and Potosi Police “worked really well together.”
“We wrapped this up pretty quickly,” he said.
Anyone who had property damaged by the recent eggings is asked to contact De Soto Police at 636-586-8891.