CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOL SGVTribune.com - News: "Around the Valley
Boy confesses to vandalism

EL MONTE - A 14-year-old boy who turned himself in for running away also confessed to breaking into an El Monte school, stealing $7,700 in computer equipment and spraying graffiti, police said Friday.

The boy, a reported runaway, told police he broke into Parkview Elementary School around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and planned to resell computers and computer equipment to buy clothes, according to El Monte Detective Eric Walterscheid. The boy has been charged with commercial burglary and vandalism.

The boy was intoxicated when he turned himself in to police Thursday and talked about breaking into the school with three other people, whom he refused to identify, Walterscheid said.

'He was very evasive about their names. In fact, he probably made up their names, same with their ages,' Walterscheid said.

The boy told police he hid the stolen goods in a park, but it was gone when officers checked, Walterscheid said.

'It was very sad,' said Parkview librarian Frances Mathis. 'The kids were devastated. They broke the pencil machine, just did mean things. Thank God they didn't hurt our books.'

Police are looking for the three accomplices and the stolen computer equipment. Anyone with information can call (626) 807-0792."