Someone broke into The Livingston Enterprise very early Saturday morning and set fire to part of the printing press, causing substantial damage.  After the fire was discovered around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Livingston police detained a 17-year-old juvenile male on the scene and subsequently arrested him on charges of burglary and arson. Since the suspect is a juvenile, he is being held at the juvenile detention center in Billings.

Police did not release his name.  Livingston Police Department Sgt. Mike Labaty said “it is a likely connection,” that the individual is associated with the recent rash of vandalism around Livingston.  No Enterprise employees were working at the time of the break-in. From evidence at the scene, it appears the following took place:

• The suspect tried to burn large rolls of paper on the back loading dock, but only charred them. The person entered the press room by breaking the window on a back door, then reaching in to unlock the door. There, the suspect tried to light additional rolls of paper, again, only charring them.

• At some point, the individual started a fire on one of the press units, which contained a large roll of paper, severely damaging the unit and a large roll of paper in it.

• Water sprinklers above the press went off, extinguishing the fire.

• The suspect sprinkled foot powder all over the inserter machine, which inserts ad sections into papers. The suspect also burned a keyboard used on the inserter.

Saturday morning, the smell of burned paper hung in the air, partially burned and soggy rolls of paper, along with small pools of water, lay on the floor, and the charred remains of press parts were visible in the burned unit.

Enterprise staff are making repairs to the press. The damage shouldn’t interrupt printing of The Enterprise, which will print either on the press when repairs are made, or at a sister paper.