“Violated and sad,” that’s how teachers at one Volusia County school said they feel after their building was burglarized this weekend. But it’s the students, they say, who are the most upset.
Jacklyn Johnson is a teacher at Johnson Academy. She said her school was burglarized late Saturday night or early Sunday morning starting with a rock thrown though a window.
One 12” by 18” pane of glass was broken, the suspects squeezing through to crawl into the school.
The burglars stole a TV, two digital cameras, paint, children’s snacks and even medication.
However, it appears those who broke in were in no hurry to commit the crime, instead taking their time and even eating TV dinners that were in the kitchen.
“They stayed here long enough to cook a Hormel TV dinner, sat at the children’s table, and ate it!” said Johnson.
A fingerprint left on the plastic wrapper of one of the dinners was taken as evidence by police who believe it could be key to finding out who the burglars are.
Also that night a pool supply company located less than 50 feet from the school was also burglarized, a chunk of concrete thrown though the glass door. The crooks got away with a laptop computer and three blank checks that were taken from inside.
Even though the glass window has been repaired, the items from the school are still missing. It makes it difficult to explain to the young students what happened.
“I had one little girl. She’s like, ‘you know, I have pennies, I give you my pennies so you can buy us a new TV’ cause it’s lots of money – they don’t understand, so that part is really hard on them,” said Johnson.
If you have any information on these burglaries, you are urged to call the Orange City Police Department at 386-775-5470.