BEAUMONT, Texas — The Beaumont Police Department has identified a group of young men they say vandalized two businesses in downtown Beaumont.
Police had asked on Wednesday for the public's help in identifying the group.
None of the group have been taken into custody art this time but detectives have spoken to some of them according to police.
The case will be sent to the district attorney's office next and charges may then be filed and arrest warrants issued police said.
According to police the young men broke a window to get into the Tonahill building early Sunday morning.
Once inside they destroyed the inside of two separate businesses on Sunday, October 29 at 4:15 a.m.
They also tore down a wall connecting the two businesses according to police.
The businesses are located in the 485 block of Orleans Street and 366 block of Bowie Street.
The police department released surveillance photos of the suspects, who they dubbed "The Backstreet Boys," two of whom appear to be wearing fake-blood spattered T-shirts.
"We want to send a strong message that we're not going to tolerate it and that they're going to be prosecuted," Haley Morrow, Beaumont Police Department Public Information Officer said.
Beaumont police officers say the damage is extensive.
"The businesses are connected by a wall that was destroyed so that they can gain entry into both," Morrow said.
Both property owners were left with a big clean-up on their hands.
Morrow said BPD published a humorous Facebook post and nicknamed the group to make the public laugh and want to share the post.
"Anything that we can to try to make it funny. In this particular case we called them 'The Backstreet Boys' because they look like a little boy band. And so our goal is to make somebody laugh and make them want to share it," she said.
The five men are wanted for Criminal Trespassing and Criminal Mischief.
"There's a big push in our city to revitalize downtown. And make it a place that people would come visit more often. There are a lot of buildings there, and so we want to protect it. And we want to make sure that people know that just because a building may appear to be abandoned. Doesn't mean that's an open invitation for anyone to enter that building and destroy the property," she said.
Jonathan Gravis works in downtown Beaumont and he hopes that neighboring businesses will look out for each other.
"I know for a fact that right beside the Chucks sandwich shop they opened up a new business. So just watching out, and just kind of keeping an eye out really and kind of just supporting each other," he said.
Police are continuing to investigate.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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