Vandals destroy dozens of cars at Bartow salvage yard

BARTOW (FOX 13) - Six guys, one as young as 13 years old, have been arrested after Bartow Auto Salvage was burglarized on more than one occasion.

Detectives say the young men smashed the windows out of 156 vehicles -- a loss of more than $48,000 because they cannot be sold for parts anymore.

“Did they sit around and decide, ‘What do you want to do tonight?’” wondered Polk Sheriff Grady Judd. “’Well, let’s go tear up a man’s property. We’re not going to knock a window out. We’re gonna knock windows out of almost every vehicle in the business.’”

Two brothers, 21 year-old Joseph Thomas and 24-year-old Johnathan Thomas, were arrested, along with a 13 year-old, two 14-year-olds and a 15-year-old. They were all charged with felonies.

“It’s crazy,” Chris Bloom, the manager, commented to FOX 13.