The Merced County Sheriff’s Department arrested two teenagers believed to have been responsible for a string of vandalism and arson in Hilmar and Turlock.

Starting Sunday night and continuing into Monday morning, the sheriff’s department took 18 reports of slashed tires from Hilmar residents. Deputy Bryce Stevenson responded to several of these reports and was able to identify the vehicle used to commit the vandalisms.

“Detectives Chris Sziraki and Savi Sohol began working diligently following up on these reports and were ultimately able to identify two suspects,” the sheriff’s department stated on their Facebook page.

Nelson Mancebo, 19, of Stevinson and Brenden Faria, 18, of Hilmar we’re located and detained Monday night by Deputy Randy Taylor.

Detectives were able to link both Mancebo and Faria to all 18 vandalisms, two arson cases and several vandalisms in the Turlock area. In addition, detectives linked Faria and Mancebo to a series of vandalisms to the Dan Ramos Community Center in Hilmar where several windows had been broken over the last two months.

Investigators arrested Faria and Mancebo for conspiracy to commit a crime, misdemeanor vandalism, felony vandalism and arson and they were booked into the Merced County Jail.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about these crimes to call Detective Savi Sohol or Detective Chris Sziraki at (209) 385-7651 or (209) 385-7472.