OHIO COMPUTERS STOLEN Damage totals estimated in Continental High School vandalism:
7/17/2009 2:19:00 PM
Damage totals estimated in Continental High School vandalism


Jaime Yant
Lifestyles Editor

CONTINENTAL - Vandals ravage Continental High School, leaving behind at least $100,000 in damage. Custodians on the job at 6 a.m. knew immediately this would not be just another normal day on the job.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning three masked subjects appeared on camera in the gym area of the high school before making their way throughout the rest of the building.

"We're pretty sure that's the point of entry, because that's where they appear right away," said Chief Arnie Hardy of the Continental Police Department.

The intruders made their way through the building, leaving a path of destruction that started with the painting of the gym floor before moving on to include acomputer lab, the physical education room, the home economics room, teacher's lounge, and the high school office.

"Two drinking fountains were removed from the wall," said Hardy, leaving water in the gym hallway and the rest of the first floor of the building.

They "stole items from the weight room, and I know there's some other classrooms" as well, said the police chief.

Suspects were caught in camera "carrying out three big duffel bags of stuff they stole," said Continental Superintendent Gary Jones. After looking through the building, Jones has determined the duffels contained several laptop computers, dvd players and a "radio type dvd player." Mostly technological equipment said Jones.

According to Hardy, Gary Smith, evidence technologist for the Putnam County Sheriff's Department, was able to gather some fingerprints from doors the intruders touched before donning their gloves.

"I think we've located some personal evidence that we can match to some of the people," said Hardy.

The police chief stated that they've had several people view the tapes and give an opinion of the suspect's identities based on body language, size and height. They've also had a lot of people calling in offering information, which, Hardy said, has been pretty consistent.

The true extent of the damage will not be know until Monday.

Jones stated that the school has a technician coming in Monday to access the damage to the 41 computers vandalized in the lab when the intruders doused them with the cleaning chemical Simple Green®.

Despite all the damage, Jones assured that the building will be repaired in plenty of time for the start of the next school year. Repairs necessary and ways to get the lab up and running before school were already being discussed today, Friday.

When asked if this week's incident would change security measures taken at the school, Jones said "the video's in the hallways has been good."

As far as taking additional measures, the "50 plus doors on each building would make it almost impossible to keep out someone that really wanted to get in," said the superintendent.

Chief Hardy is still gathering evidence.

"All the information that can be gathered before the arrests are made would be most appreciated," said Hardy.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Continental Police Department ar 419-456-3833 or the Sheriff's office at 419-523-3208.