Four Students Arrested in School Burglaries

Four Mt. Miguel High School students were arrested Monday in connection with burglaries at Spring Valley schools, a sheriff’s spokesman said.

At least one of five Spring Valley city schools has been ransacked and had equipment stolen nearly every weekend and holiday since Oct. 4, Sgt. Doug Walters said. The damage and property loss is estimated at $50,000, according to a Sheriff’s Department statement.

In many incidents, what the thieves didn’t take they destroyed, Walters said. Everything from a copy machine to a desk was either covered with paint and fire extinguisher chemicals or kicked in or thrown around, Walters said. Friday, all books were ripped from La Pressa Middle School’s library shelves, he said. Rancho San Diego Elementary School and Mt. Miguel High School were also burglarized, Walters said.

Items stolen from the schools included computer equipment, cameras, televisions and videocassette recorders, Walters said, adding that some of the items were recovered from the arrested students’ homes.

For weeks students have remained tight-lipped about the vandalism and burglary information, Walters said, until they “got tired of having their schools destroyed” and came forward.

One of the teen-aged boys arrested Monday was linked to five of the 15 incidents, Walters said. Officials suspect the other three were involved in one to four of the burglaries.

The remaining 10 incidents, most with similar vandalizing and burglary methods, are still under investigation, Walters said.

The 15- and 16-year-old youths were booked into Juvenile Hall on suspicion of burglary, then released to their parents, Walters said. Court dates may be set within two weeks, he said.

Walters said the boys admitted committing the burglaries, saying they “thought it would be fun.” He said he had no confirmation of any of the stolen equipment being sold.