Three Santaluces High School seniors were arrested after they admitted to arson and vandalism at a house in Nautica Sound in Boynton Beach. Matthew Kyle Press, 18, of Boynton Beach; Gary Lee Harper Jr., 19, of Lantana; and Patrick Machen, 18, of Lake Worth are charged with burglary, felony vandalism and residential arson. The damage is estimated at $50,000. Here’s what happened: Around 2:45 p.m., Boynton Beach police received a call of a possible residential fire at 7135 Chesapeake Circle in Nautica Sound. When officers and Boynton Beach Fire Rescue arrived, they found an empty house believed to be in foreclosure. The fire was found behind the house in an in-ground pool. The interior of the house was severely vandalized – spraying painting on the walls, massive holes in the walls, smashed chairs and furniture, a broken flat panel TV and pool chemicals spilled throughout the house. Press, Harper and Machen were detained by officers at the scene and taken to the BBPD where they confessed their involvement to Detective 1st Grade Toby Athol. Harper said that they skipped out of school early today and went Press’s house at 7127 Chesapeake Circle in Nautica Sound. Press lives next door to the house they vandalized. Harper said they were bored so they went next door and vandalized it by spray painting the walls with paint that Press brought over from his garage. Machen said he defecated in the residence because he “had to go” and didn’t feel like walking back to Press’s house to use the bathroom. The threesome said they kicked holes in the walls, smashed furniture and broke a TV before throwing other things from the house into the empty pool and starting a fire. They then went back to Press’s house and played video games until they heard “popping” out back and smelled smoke. When they saw the fire growing, Press attempted to spray a garden hose from his backyard over the fence, onto the burning items in the pool. According to Detective 1st Grade Toby Athol, all three gave full confessions as to their involvement and also filmed themselves committing some of the damage via cell phone.
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