At least three teens are facing charges after vandalizing and setting fire to the historic Tarrytown Lighthouse, Westchester County officials said Friday.
Park rangers last week found significant fire damage to one of the lighthouse floors along with broken windows and damage to dozens of historic items — including 35 antique books — inside the structure, according to Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins’ office.
An initial assessment by the Westchester County Parks Department puts the value of damages at around $100,000. All public tours are suspended as well — after $3.4 million in renovations to the facility were completed just last year.
Two of the teens are charged with third-degree felony arson, third-degree burglary and criminal mischief, officials said in a statement. Those suspects are 18-year-old Elvin Ayavaca of White Plains and 19-year-old Richard Barrero from Harrison, according to officials.
A third suspect, who is 17, has been arraigned in the Youth Part of Westchester County Court in connection to the vandalism, but his identity is being withheld due to his age, police say.
Located on the eastern shore of the Hudson River, the Tarrytown Lighthouse, sometimes called the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse, was constructed in 1883 and had 12 different lighthouse keepers through its time of manual operation, according to Westchester County Parks. The lighthouse was automated in the 1950s, according to the agency, and was shuttered for good in 1961 after nautical navigation lights were installed on the nearby Tappan Zee Bridge.
As of Friday, Westchester County officials said they were searching for a fourth suspect although news reports said another teen had been taken into custody in connection to the vandalism.
Attorney information for the suspects was not immediately available.
The Sleepy Hollow police department, which has jurisdiction over the lighthouse, was unable to provide any information Saturday. The Westchester County Police did not answer multiple phone calls.
