Two California fathers have been caught on camera appearing to encourage their children to help vandalize and burglarize a self-declared sovereign community.
A $1,000 reward is now being offered by the ‘micronation’ of Slowjamastan for information on the suspects.
Community officials said the parents brought, ‘their small kids to commit multiple crimes’ on the night of December 14, which allegedly included theft and scrawling ‘we declare war’ in graffiti.
The video shows the two men repeatedly trying a door handle as they attempt to break into a guard hut.
As they approach, they note that the security camera is turned on which causes one of the kids to tell their dad they are scared.
But another who seems undeterred asks, ‘Dad, where is the crowbar?’
The men continue to scope out how they can gain access and decide they might have to break a window.
‘Wait no, no, no, I do not think this is a good idea,’ one of the concerned children can be heard saying as his dad begins trying to winch the door open with the crowbar.
‘Do you want to try?’ he asks the kids as one shouts: ‘It’s not working’.
However, another of the boys with them becomes fearful, repeating that it is a bad idea.
‘You’re freaking out my kids,’ one of the men jokes to the other. ‘Who wants to give it a try? Goldie? I’ll keep you safe I promise.’
But the kids seem reluctant with one asking what will happen if they are caught.
‘What if they actually try to do something and actually charge us?’ the child asks.
‘I’ll take the heat for it, I can get out of jail, I’ve done it before’ one of the father’s says prompting more concern from the kids.
They keep trying the doors and eventually the pop open, causing the men to start laughing and yelling in celebration.
They run inside and begin looting and the kids start yelling in excitement.
‘We found treasure!’ one of the dads shouts before the group are seen making off with several items including a mannequin.
As the clip ends the dads can be heard celebrating how ‘awesome’ the experience was and plotting where to hit up next.
Images shared by community officials also show how the suspects left behind graffiti. They estimate the damage caused to be around $20,000.
‘“Slowjamastan” has always been about fun and community – a cool place, built by cool people, out in Ocotillo Wells,’ officials said.
‘It’s ironic that just days before this incident, The Slowjamastan crew spent the weekend cleaning up the desert; our Adopt-a-Highway program along CA-78.
‘Only to have these great examples of parents bring their small kids to commit multiple crimes.
‘More than the physical damage you caused, YOU PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN DANGER!!!
‘Turn yourself in immediately and pay for damages or face immediate civil and criminal prosecution.
This may have seemed like a fun prank, but you broke numerous laws.’
‘For me it’s not about the property, that can be fixed, it’s about the minds and hearts of these children – that’s child abuse at its very worst. Something needs to happen,’ the community’s ‘Sultan’ Randy Williams told NBC11.
The Republic of Slowjamastan, officially the The United Territories of the Sovereign Nation of The People’s Republic of Slowjamastan, is located in Imperial County.
It spans 11.07 acres of land between the towns of Ocotillo Wells and Westmorland.