CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM HIGH SCHOOL http://www.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_4731843

PALMDALE - Burglars struck Highland High School over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, breaking into three classrooms and taking at least seven laptop computers.

An off-duty Sheriff's Department civilian volunteer spotted the burglars and followed their vehicle, which the thieves abandoned before they fled on foot, sheriff's officials said.

"We had a couple of classrooms broken into and had computers stolen. There was some vandalism," Principal Stacy Bryant said. "Right now we are assessing the damage and trying to figure out a monetary amount."

Sheriff's officials said the burglars were described as male juveniles, who escaped Saturday night despite a search by deputies on the ground and by helicopter of the neighborhoods east of Highland High. Deputies impounded their getaway car and recovered two stolen projectors, Deputy Daryl Bonsall said.

Bryant suspected that the thieves were students. Door handles were ripped off and other vandalism occurred inside the classroom, but details were withheld pending the investigation.

"We are checking the rest of the classrooms to make sure we have an accurate accounting to find out exactly what was done," Bryant said. "Security is currently interviewing students who might have had access to or information about the perpetrators."

A local church uses the campus for services on Sunday, and typically teachers are at the school during the weekend.

"We are asking some of the church folks if they saw or heard anything odd," Bryant said.
The school was hit Sept. 26 with arson and graffiti vandalism that caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Four teenage boys were arrested in that case.

They along with a fifth boy also were arrested on suspicion of breaking windows and spray-painting graffiti at Juniper Intermediate and Summerwind Elementary schools over a three-month period beginning in July.

The first suspect arrested was a 16-year-old Highland student, who was turned in by his mother. She brought him to school tardy and recognized a moniker in the graffiti, sheriff's deputies said.