CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN Thefts hurting Arvin school district | Bakersfield Now | Investigations:
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Thefts hurting Arvin school district
By Sabrina Rodriguez, Eyewitness News
Beefed up security measures have become standard for the Arvin Union School District, and for good reason.
"We've had approximately 13 break-ins in our school system all four of our sites, including our bus barn," said District Superintendent, Jerelle Kavanagh.
She adds break-ins and vandalism have been an issue in the past, but this school year theft has been the big problem.
"We've had tools taken from our bus barn and of course laptops, computers projectors and computer type wiring stolen from classrooms," listed Kavanagh.
Those crimes aren't cheap.
"All 28 (stolen) computers is in the neighborhood of $42,000," said Kavanagh.
When crime like these happen the district just doesn't lose money in replacement costs they also lose money in repair costs.
"Our staff has to come back in on overtime in the middle of the night and clean up, board windows, replace glass," said Kavanagh. "You have to add another $400 or $500 on those kinds of things."
And with the weak economy and an almost bare-bones budget, those are expenses the District really can't afford.
But the crimes don't just cost the district, it's also costs the students.
"In this day and age we use technology for instruction," explained Kavanagh. "It's not just a little game back in the corner of the room, so it does affect some of the work that they do and the instruction they receive."
Because of these crimes, the district has stepped up security with additional surveillance cameras, and extra police patrols at night.
But that can't undo the damage that's been done. "Just like if your home's broken into you feel probably a little violated," said Kavanagh. "The teacher would, the student would."
Certainly an expensive crime in more ways than one. The superintendent adds even though they have insurance it doesn't fully cover the replacement cost of thestolen items.
Also, the school district has been working with Arvin Police on this case.
Police say they have four suspects in custody regard the thefts; 2 adults and 2 juveniles. The police have recovered three of the stolen computers, but those can't be returned until the case has gone to court.
"We've had approximately 13 break-ins in our school system all four of our sites, including our bus barn," said District Superintendent, Jerelle Kavanagh.
She adds break-ins and vandalism have been an issue in the past, but this school year theft has been the big problem.
"We've had tools taken from our bus barn and of course laptops, computers projectors and computer type wiring stolen from classrooms," listed Kavanagh.
Those crimes aren't cheap.
"All 28 (stolen) computers is in the neighborhood of $42,000," said Kavanagh.
When crime like these happen the district just doesn't lose money in replacement costs they also lose money in repair costs.
"Our staff has to come back in on overtime in the middle of the night and clean up, board windows, replace glass," said Kavanagh. "You have to add another $400 or $500 on those kinds of things."
And with the weak economy and an almost bare-bones budget, those are expenses the District really can't afford.
But the crimes don't just cost the district, it's also costs the students.
"In this day and age we use technology for instruction," explained Kavanagh. "It's not just a little game back in the corner of the room, so it does affect some of the work that they do and the instruction they receive."
Because of these crimes, the district has stepped up security with additional surveillance cameras, and extra police patrols at night.
But that can't undo the damage that's been done. "Just like if your home's broken into you feel probably a little violated," said Kavanagh. "The teacher would, the student would."
Certainly an expensive crime in more ways than one. The superintendent adds even though they have insurance it doesn't fully cover the replacement cost of thestolen items.
Also, the school district has been working with Arvin Police on this case.
Police say they have four suspects in custody regard the thefts; 2 adults and 2 juveniles. The police have recovered three of the stolen computers, but those can't be returned until the case has gone to court.
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