TEXAS (UPDATE) COMPUTERS STOLEN School vandalism cases yield suspects : Big Country : Abilene Reporter-News:

School vandalism cases yield suspects

By Celinda Emison (Contact)
Monday, May 11, 2009

Investigations are under way and suspects have been identified in vandalism incidents at schools in Zephyr, May and Santa Anna.

So far, four suspects have been identified and more could be named, said Capt. Tony Aaron of the Brown County Sheriff's Office.

Officials at the Zephyr Independent School District reported that vandals trashed the interior of the high school and attempted to set it afire.

Superintendent David Whisenhunt discovered the vandalism around 8 a.m. Sunday morning when he noticed a door open at the school.

Officials said the vandals went into one classroom, stacked books and magazines on top of a teacher's desk and set fire to it. The magazines burned, but the fire apparently burned itself out, causing smoke damage to the room.

"We were very lucky," Whisenhunt said.

Vandals also broke into the lunch room, entered the kitchen and then threw milk boxes all over the school.

Teachers and other personnel spent Sunday cleaning up the mess, Whisenhunt said.

"As far as we can tell, nothing was stolen but a few pairs of tennis shoes from the gymnasium locker room," Whisenhunt said. "But they caused a lot of damage."

Whisenhunt said it was the second time in less than a week that the school has been vandalized.

Last Monday, thieves broke in and reportedly took a computer and a CD player from a coach's office in the gymnasium at Zephyr.

In early March, school officials at Santa Anna ISD reported a break-in at the press box at the school stadium, but nothing was stolen.

During the second incident at Zephyr, vandals reportedly left their mark by drawing an insignia on the gym floor with shoe polish.

A similar insignia was left in the computer room at May High School on May 4, when four computers worth about $4,000 were stolen, Superintendent Don Rhodes said.

"I think the same people returned to let us know they could do more damage," Whisenhunt speculated.

Aaron said some of the stolen property has been recovered. He said investigators were interviewing suspects late Monday, but that so far no arrests have been made.

The suspects face several felony charges, including engaging in organized criminal activity, burglary of a building, criminal mischief and arson.