Brothers could be responsible for rash of vandalism, police say

Two Corbin brothers were in court Tuesday to answer to charges that they tossed a rock out the window of their home and damaged their next door neighbor’s vehicle, then called police to report the incident.
Corbin Police Officer Jason Williams said Tuesday he was perplexed as to why 23-year-old Henry Boswell and his younger brother Matthew, 18, would call police reporting damage he claims surveillance video shows they are guilty of.
“That’s been the question with everyone, even the next door neighbors,” Williams said. “They couldn’t believe it either when they saw the videotape. They said they always got along with them. They never would have thought they did it.”
Police are hopeful that the recent arrests will stop a rash of vandalism on Roy Kidd Ave. that has plagued two families for months.
Two couples, Jamie and Amanda Ramsey and Paul and Glenda Bray, live in homes that bookend the Boswell residence. Both families say they’ve had a lot of sleepless nights in recent months because of near-constant, malicious vandalism that started in early June. The Brays say they’ve had car tires slashed, paint jobs gouged and grooved with bricks or rocks and busted windshields. Vandals put water in the transmission of her husband’s pick-up truck, and dirt and rocks in the engine. The Ramsey’s have lived on the street since March and have also been targets. Twice in August, they filed reports with police for damage done to their Lincoln Navigator sport utility vehicle. The Navigator was targeted again, allegedly by the brothers, who tossed the rock on Sept. 29. Williams said the two have been hard to find since an arrest warrant was issued for them, but both turned themselves into police Sept. 5 in Knox District Court. London attorney Doug Benge, who is representing them, was present when they surrendered to police.
Williams said he’s not sure if Henry and Matthew Boswell are responsible for all of the vandalism problems, but said he suspects they may be. Police have investigated 15 vandalism complaints on the street since the beginning of the year, many from the two families. On numerous occasions, the brothers would help police and the families search the neighborhood for potential clues or suspects.
“It’s kind of hard to catch somebody when you are looking around and they are standing right there with you, acting like they are helping,” Williams said. “Every time they’ve always helped us, looking in the neighborhood and stuff.”
Williams said one of the brothers was helping authorities search for clues on Sept. 29 as well.
Police expressed relief at the arrests because of what they say were heightening tensions in the neighborhood that could have led to vigilante justice.
“It was getting bad. If it got any worse, I don’t know what would have happened,” Williams said. “When people start having to put out money to repair things that should have never been damaged, anger tends to take over reality and you don’t want good people to end up having to go to jail for doing something to somebody.”
Williams said he is certain the Boswell brothers are to blame because they were the only people in the home when the rock was thrown.
The Brays and Ramseys estimate damage caused by vandals at about $5,000.
A late September break-in at nearby Corbin Presbyterian Church is also under investigation. Over $6,000 in damage was done to the church. Williams said he does not yet know if the Boswells will be implicated in that crime. Both currently face one count of first-degree criminal mischief, a felony offense that carries a penalty of one to five years in jail.