Details leading to the connection of two area youths with a crime spree that caused about $27,000 in damages in the last six months still are sketchy.

University Police Lt. Ron Williams declined to release information that led to the boys’ involvement in the crimes because of the continuing investigation. The boys, ages 11 and 12, are suspects in campus crimes dating back to 1987, he said.

Charges against the boys include criminal damage to state supported land, criminal trespass, burglary and arson.

The boys are allegedly responsible for the Holmes Student Center fire on Jan. 29, which caused $25,000 in damages.

The student center fire originated in a wooden bin used to store recyclable cardboard from the student center bookstore. The blaze apparently started when something was thrown on top of the cardboard pile.

Fire damage was contained to the stairwell near the Huskies Den. Adjoining stairwells and rooms sustained smoke damage, although no structural damage occurred.

Small fires were reported in Altgeld, DuSable, Reavis and Watson halls and the Music and Psychology/Mathematics buildings. Trash can and toilet paper fires were involved in most of the the incidents, Williams said.

Six office thefts totaling about $100 in cash and other items also have been attributed to the boys, Williams said. Most of the thefts came during regular office hours, he said.

Williams declined to describe how the alleged thefts occurred during office hours because of the continuing investigation.

Multiple arson charges or more intensive burglary charges were not assessed because of the nature and the “small” dollar loss of most of the criminal acts, Williams said.

Trash can and toilet-paper fires “are considered criminal damage to property as far as we (the UPs) are concerned because of the nature and the intent” of the crime, Williams said. In these incidents, serious harm or damage were not the intent of the crimes, he said.

The fires in the buildings, other than the fire in the student center, are considered by the UPs as “a typical kids’ prank,” Williams said.

UP detectives have interviewed the boys concerning the incidents, but Williams declined to tell when and how many interviews took place. The boys have been petitioned by the DeKalb County Juvenile Court Services in connection with the crimes, he said.

Although the boys are from DeKalb, one boy has moved to another state and extradition is pending, Williams said.

Future charges against the boys are possible and additional juveniles might be charged “in other related and unrelated incidents,” he said. Williams declined to comment on the nature of the other incidents.

The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office will be a consultant in the charges, he said.

Williams declined to comment if someone might receive a $1,000 reward offered by NIU for information that led to the boys’ connection with acts of vandalism and fires on campus. NIU offered the reward Feb. 1 as an incentive for people with information to talk with investigators.