TEEN ARRESTED FOR JUMPING ON PARKED CARS IN A.V. MALL.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - A 16-year-old boy is in custody on suspicion of felony vandalism after he was seen jumping from roof to roof along a row of parked vehicles at the Antelope Valley Mall, officials said.

The boy dented roofs on at least six vehicles, causing more than $7,000 in damage, and an investigator said three or four more motorists might have driven away without seeing or reporting damage to their vehicles.

``One lady had her kids with her and she was just devastated,'' said Deputy Jeff Curran, who patrols the mall. ``She was panicking, wondering what her husband would say and how the insurance would handle everything. It was a pretty new car.''

The Palmdale boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was arrested about 5:30 p.m. Thursday after a man told mall security staffers that a teenager was jumping between cars in a north parking lot.

Curran spotted two teens who matched the description the witness provided. One admitted to jumping on the cars, the deputy said, but the boy said he didn't know why he did it.

``He confessed to it and said that he didn't want his friend to get in trouble for what he did,'' Curran said. ``His reason was: 'I don't know.''' Several roofs were caved in, Curran said.

Minor vandalism occurs at the mall, but Curran said he not seen damage to this extent.