Men recorded vandalism spree

Two Kalispell men who rampaged through Kalispell neighborhoods destroying property at Christmas videotaped their crimes and their laughter, according to Kalispell police.

Police have arrested two people so far.

Ryan Fred Kopman and Brandon Pederson, both 19, are charged with felony criminal mischief, common scheme. That crime carries a prison term of up to 10 years.

"Nice!" one of them exclaims on the tape as the other smashes a lighted reindeer lawn ornament with a baseball bat.

The tape shows a vehicle driving over lawn ornaments and two young men demolishing lighted displays, punctuated by laughter and gleeful profanity, at house after house.

At one home, the lights in a train decoration are destroyed and one of the intruders is vandalizing a large inflatable decoration when a resident runs out of his home, yelling at them.

At one point, one of the young man grips a baseball bat and answers a question about what he thinks of reindeer.

"I think deer are dumb. They should be beaten to the ground," he says.

More arrests and more charges are expected, according to Kalispell Police Chief Frank Garner.

Detective Sgt. Brian Fulford said the vandals digitally recorded their own criminal acts. Police seized a computer, a video camera and additional video disks at a home on the west side of town on Thursday. They were sent to the Montana State Crime Laboratory for analysis.

Garner said police have not been able to identify all the victims' homes depicted in the tape. Anyone who thinks their property may have been involved should call Fulford at 758-7793 to view a copy of the video.

Garner said the police department will attempt to put pictures from the video on its website. It is at www.kalispell.com.

Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com