This surveillance video posted on social media by East Liverpool Police Department reportedly shows two women accused of placing some type of foaming agent into the fountain in Devon’s Diamond. (Submitted photo)

EAST LIVERPOOL — Two women were charged Tuesday after reportedly placing some type of foaming agent into the fountain on Devon’s Diamond, and city officials said they will not tolerate that type of vandalism.

A caller reported just before 12:30 a.m. that it appeared someone had placed soap powder into the fountain, and officers arrived to find bubbles beginning to overflow the fountain bowl onto the ground, reporting they also detected the smell of laundry detergent.

Service Director Brian Allen and Deputy Director Rick Rudibaugh responded to the scene and, after using six gallons of vinegar in the fountain in an attempt to cut the soap suds, Allen said the decision was made to shut down the pump, which was purchased new this spring through a donation from the Liverpool Township Patrolman’s Association.

“We will have to take it apart and hope it didn’t do any damage. Once foam gets into the pump, it loses suction and won’t work,” Allen said, saying he and Rudibaugh were on the scene until after 2:30 a.m. but said it appears from surveillance video the vandalism took place about 11:30 p.m.

Just recently, the city mounted surveillance cameras in the Diamond area, and video from those cameras aimed at the fountain showed two people walking across the Market Street intersection, up to the fountain, where one person dipped her hand into the water, after which they sat for awhile on a nearby bench, followed by the second person putting her hand into the water on the other side of the fountain.

Within a few moments, the videos showed foaming action in the water, after which the two people were seen taking photos of themselves and what appeared to be a video of the foaming water as they walked out of the Diamond area.

No one else was seen in the area during that time, and it appeared the people hesitated when a vehicle passed by as they initially walked toward the fountain. Ironically, a police cruiser drove past the Diamond while they were there.

Portions of the videos were posted on the city police department’s Facebook page Tuesday, and Allen said, “It literally took seconds” before tips began coming in as to the identity of the two people observed in them, more than 1,200 views noted within a short period.

Following the tips, Patrolman Rob Smith visited the home of Shenallia D. Gay, 44, 100 Vernia Street, who he interviewed as one of the suspects identified. She was brought to the police station, where she initially admitted being there when soap was thrown into the fountain but denied throwing in anything herself, although Smith said the video appears to show otherwise.

She declined to identify the other female with her at the time, and Gay was charged with criminal mischief then released.

A few minutes later, however, she returned to the police station with another woman, Amanda L. Anderson, 38, Zanesville, who was also charged with criminal mischief after turning herself in.

Both women were released to appear today in East Liverpool Municipal Court.

Responding to a comment on social media that police should concentrate on more serious crimes, such as drug abuse, Allen said Tuesday afternoon the city will prosecute this crime to the fullest extent, saying, “A lot of volunteers and hard work went into (renovating the fountain). I myself probably spent 40 hours. If we don’t enforce the small crimes, how are we ever going to enforce the big crimes?”