Pranksters leave a paper trail

Estancia High School’s Class of ’09 is really on a roll.

Denied the chance to carry on the annual tradition of toilet papering their school before the first day of classes, several seniors turned their focus to Fairview Park.

“They think they’ll stop it, but they won’t,” said defiant, 17-year-old Estancia senior Natalie Plascencia. “[Seniors] will do it two days later, they’ll do it in November, in December. You never know. You just never know.”

It may come to that in the future, but for the class of 2009, simply waiting two days was all they needed before making a second attempt at completing an annual tradition that went down the toilet Monday, thanks to Costa Mesa police.

Authorities busted eight Estancia High School seniors, who were using toilet paper to vandalize the area near their high school, on curfew violations. That was a slap on the wrist compared to the potential vandalism charges they could have faced. But on Wednesday an unidentified group went back on the prowl and toilet-papered Fairview Park. They made sure to leave their signature — a giant “09” in toilet paper.

Tacking on the two-ply leading up to Estancia High School, never the school itself because of “school pride” as seniors put it, has been a tradition for at least a generation, students said.

“My mom actually woke me up and told me it was time to go do it,” said one senior, who asked not to be named. “It’s like the first senior activity of the year.”

Police can’t be party-poopers every night, students said, so picking the right night with a good plan and communication can keep their prank rolling through the early hours.

Seniors said between 50 and 75 students are involved, each assigned a different area in the community to cover, literally, while communicating through text messages.

“Everyone knows about this every year. Even the police,” said Chauntelle Ruehman, 17. “It totally does not faze us at all.”

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.