Lowry Pueblo vandals caught

Lowry Pueblo vandals caught

Oct. 7, 2000

By Janelle Holden
Journal Staff Writer

Three Pleasant View juveniles who allegedly vandalized Lowry Pueblo National Historic Landmark confessed to the crime this week.

The three involved broke a plexiglass skylight in the roof of a Lowry kiva on Sept. 19 by throwing a large rock on top of the skylight.

Lanny Wagner, a BLM law-enforcement officer, said that federal citations of $75 each were issued to the adults responsible for the juveniles. The adults were cited for damaging or removing U.S. property without authorization, and the juveniles involved will have to complete community service, part of which will include working on projects at Lowry.

Wagner said that there are no legal provisions to cite a juvenile involved with a federal criminal infraction, only the juvenile’s parent or legal guardian. Because the vandals were juveniles, the BLM could not release any of the names of the individuals involved.

The parents approached Wagner after one overheard his child discussing the incident with a friend. Once questioned, the three involved admitted to the crime.

"They were basically goofing off and playing around and wanted to see what would happen when they threw the rock on the plexiglass," explained Wagner. "They weren’t going out there for the specific purpose of damaging the cultural site, it was just simply an act that they didn’t think about and once they did it I think that they were all sorry about what they did."

Wagner estimated that the plexiglass skylight would cost $300 to $400 to replace. Other than the broken skylight, no permanent damage was done to the site.

A BLM recreation employee from Durango discovered the damage. Temporary repairs have been made, and more permanent repairs will be done in the near future, Wagner said.

Lowry Pueblo is an ancient puebloan ruin which consists of standing walls that have been stabilized, 40 rooms, eight kivas, and a great kiva. Currently, it is the only developed recreation site within the newly designated Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.