Schools

Schools Beef Up Security Following Break-Ins

Burglars have hit a dozen times since mid-April, and district officials ask neighbors to look out for schools and report suspicious activity to police.

Burglars have hit Watsonville schools a dozen times in the past six weeks, leaving school officials scrambling to figure out a security plan that will protect the campuses going into the summer.

The most-recent break-in happened early Wednesday, when a staff member at Starlight Elementary School on Hammer Drive discovered a broken door lock on Room 34. Nothing was reported stolen, according to Brett McFadden, the chief business officer for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. 

But the burglars—possibly one or two individuals or groups—are targeting computers, LCD projectors and miscellaneous electronic equipment. They are hitting alarmed and non-alarmed buildings across a wide section of South County, according to McFadden.

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District officials are working with Watsonville police, the sheriff's office and a private security firm to beef up protection of school campuses, but they're hoping residents will also step up to look out for the schools.

"We need to get the word out for local neighbors to keep an eye on their schools," McFadden said. "Even with more patrols, I just simply don’t have the coverage needed."

Find out what's happening in Watsonvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

District officials started tallying the break-ins April 14, when someone broke the door locks at Amesti Elementary School and stole a MacBook and an LCD projector.

Ten days later, burglars snagged three MacBooks and another projector during a similar burglary at MacQuiddy Elementary School.

Broken locks were the point-of-entry in a half-dozen other break-ins. At one school, a laptop was stolen during school hours. Burglars also got into Calabasas Elementary School through a open window and Hall District School in Pajaro via a broken window, according to the school district.


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