A car dealership that could have sued and pressed charges against a young vandal instead decided to step in and help the troubled boy and his younger friend.

In October, workers at the Schulte Subaru dealership of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, asked for the public's help in finding two boys who were caught on video stomping on several cars, causing $25,000 in damage, according to The Argus Leader.

Outraged viewers on social media called the boys 'punks' and 'worthless.'

Owner Mike Schulte even offered a $1,000 reward to anyone who could identify the vandals from the dealership's grainy surveillance video, according to KELOLand.com.

However, once the youths were identified, a cop called the dealership and relayed the information that the boys were only 14 and 10-years old. Neither had been in trouble with the law before.

Scroll down for video

The two young kids (above) were caught on camera vandalizing cars at the Schulte dealership in Sioux Falls

One of the boys jumped on a car while his brother (left) filmed the vandalism with his cell phone

The boys caused at least $25,000 in damages but instead of prosecuting, the owner decided to try and turn the kids' lives around. The older 'vandal' now has a job at the dealership and is paying back the money

At this point, owner Mike Schulte realized he could press ahead with a lawsuit and criminal charges - or he could take a different approach.

The younger boy was given over to the discipline of his parents.

Then Schulte, who has a teen son himself, decided to call the teen's mother - and it was then he realized that he had a chance to make a difference.

The boy's disabled mom could not only not remotely afford to pay back the cost of the damaged cars and revealed the boys had had a tough life.

Mentor: Mike Schultz (above) decided to take a teen vandal under his wing instead of press charges against him

The boys caused at least $25,000 worth of damage - one of the cars they jumped on can be seen dented above

'It was just heartbreaking,' Schulte told the outlet.

The teen had to walk three miles to school and back every day because he had no other transportation.

The kind-hearted staff at the dealership decided to take him under their wing.

'What was going through my mind, is what if this is the moment in the life, especially the older one, if we press charges and he goes into the system and has a record - what if he decides to do some other bad things and it just spirals,' Shulte said.

Schulte and his staff eventually helped the teen and his mom relocate to better housing.

It takes a village: The staff at Schulte Subaru bought the 14-year-old boy a bus pass and a bike so he could get to school - they also found his family better housing - the staff also donated $5,000 to a local children's home

Additionally, they got the teen a bus pass and a bike so he could get to school.

'This is the moment where the kid looks back and says, 'This is when someone cared about me,' Schulte said.

Subsequently, the grateful teen asked if he could come into the dealership to help out.

The boy was set up with a job of emptying trash bins, washing cars, and doing other chores. He is receiving an hourly wage, but part of it goes towards paying back the damage he and his friend caused.

The staff say they have 'adopted' the boy as one of their own - and are proud of the accomplishment.

'You wouldn't know it's the same kid,' Schulte said. 'You can just see the difference.'



