Partying Teens Trash Moraga Home While Family Is On Vacation

A Moraga family says teenagers broke into their home and then trashed it while having a New Year's Eve party while the family was away on vacation.

Matthew Cronin said the partying teens left beer bottles all over their Larch Avenue house, stained the furniture, broke glass and took jewelry, cash, an iPod and other items.

He said some of the teens even took one of the family cars on a joyride and then abandoned the vehicle with a dead battery.

“My family and I feel very violated," said Cronin. "While I understand that high school students of any generation want to celebrate New Year’s Eve, what I cannot understand is why they would think it’s acceptable to break into someone’s house, trash it and steal things. That is never OK or acceptable for someone of any age."

Moraga Police Sgt. Brian South wouldn't release a lot of details about the case because it is still under investigation.

He did confirm police were called to the Larch Avenue home at 6:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve for a report of a large party.

He said arrests in the case are "a real possibility."

Cronin said the teens apparently partied outside the home the day before, then broke into the house the next day.

Cronin said his son, who attends Campolindo High School, started getting texts from friends who thought he was still at home asking about the party.

The son alerted his parents, who then contacted police.

Cronin said some of the party-goers put photos of the festivities on Facebook.

He said the family slept at a hotel after their return because the house was too dirty to sleep in. They hired a cleaning service to come in.

Cronin said Moraga police have interviewed a number of suspects and he's confident there will be some arrests.

He said he plans to ask the parents of those arrested to pay for the damages.

"We are a pretty easy going family in general and have had a lot of teenagers in our home over the eight years that we have lived in Moraga," said Cronin. "Most of them are great kids, but those who thought it was OK to use our home as their private playground clearly need to learn a lesson in decorum and responsibility. We are still pretty shaken up about it."