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Jonathan Marcus posted a video of the boy who broke away from the group he was with, rushed the duck and flattened it around 6:15 p.m. Thursday.
At least one of the boys was wearing a Don Bosco jacket, said Marcus, who lives at the corner of Forest Road and Brook Court – across from Wilkes Deli in the township’s Fardale section – and decorates his property for several holidays each year.
“The one who destroyed the inflatable was wearing a green jacket with white logo and trim (perhaps a Ramapo or St. Joe's High School jacket?),” he wrote.
Marcus shared the video with Mahwah police, along with one taken from another camera facing Forest Road that clearly shows the boys.
Don Bosco President/Principal Robert Fazio also requested copies of the images so he could conduct his own investigation.
“If these boys happen to be your children, a simple apology and reimbursement for damages will suffice,” Marcus wrote. “I am not looking to prosecute someone who is willing to own up to their misdeeds.
“However, if they do not offer such apology and reimbursement, I will prosecute once they are caught (and they will be).”
Sure enough, the boy showed up at Marcus’s door with his mother, delivering a handwritten note of apology (below), along with some cash and a promise to pay full restitution.
COURTESY: Jonathan Marcus
“It was a wonderfully teachable moment for this young man that I hope will have a positive influence on his future,” Marcus said.
Another of the boys also came by with his father.
“Another teachable moment and the sign of very strong parenting,” Marcus said. “This young man now understands that when you are with someone who does something wrong, you become an accomplice if you do not do something to disassociate yourself from it.
“Both are young men with bright futures ahead of them if they learn to make the right choices,” he added. “I truly believe that this will be a great learning experience for them. I am also impressed with the strong parenting evidenced.
“There is hope in the world....”
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ALSO SEE: A snake estimated at nearly 10 feet long knocked out power to the Sheraton Mahwah Hotel for several hours.
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