Three intoxicated youths used forklifts to vandalise a commercial logistics warehouse in Three Rivers.

"They used forklifts to try to flip over other forklifts (and) to damage pallet-racking beams, interior walls and an overhead door," says Jamie Clark, president of Central Manufacturing Services Inc (CMS). "Damage was in the 10s of thousands of dollars" primarily involving one customer's steel and plastic component parts.

CMS operates 40 forklifts for seven facilities in Three Rivers, Sturgis and Portage, Michigan and provides third-party storage, inventory control, material handling and transportation services.

The males-two 18 years old from Three Rivers and Centreville and one 17 years old from Three Rivers-made use of a TCM forklift with a lifting capacity of 5,000 lb (2,250 kg), a Toyota with similar capability and a 6,000-lb (2,700-kg) -capacity Clark rigging truck that CMS uses to move steel.

Damage was confined to a 40,000-sqft (3,600-sm) portion of a 130,000-sqft (11,700-sm) building.

"They were caught early," Clark notes, "probably within 20-30 minutes" of starting the rampage.

A CMS employee arrived at work and discovered the activity at 612 Fourth Street, according to a Three Rivers police department report. "The suspects broke into the (facility) to steal items and then made the decision to start destroying things once they were inside."

During the apprehension, police dog Bedo bit two suspects who were treated for their injuries at Three Rivers Hospital. All three were arrested and transported to the St Joseph County jail.