Caught on tape: Kids vandalize school for the blind
Story Updated: Mar 3, 2008 at 11:23 PM PST
By KOMO Staff
VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Washington's School for the Blind has fallen victim to vandals who trashed and robbed the school twice now.
Police reviewed the surveillance footage which captured the robberies, and were shocked to find out the thieves were just kids, seemingly 10 to 12 years old.
Many of the kids inside the school cannot see, but the cameras outside have seen plenty. Rob Tracey says his 32 surveillance cameras recorded vandals trashing the school two weekends in a row.
"They tried to jimmy the door open," he said.
The thieves used a shovel to break into the daycare's door.
"That's what they were using to breach the door. When they couldn't get in, I guess they got frustrated and just chucked it through the window," said Tracey.
The vandals then broke into the toy shed and grabbed the toys.
"(In the video, the vandals) play with them, ride the trikes around, throw them around, kick them, break them," Tracey said.
Investigators said they're not surprised, given the age of the thieves.
But their actions weren't completely driven by naive desires. The young vandals moved from the toy shed to a school van that the students use for field trips.
"They started a fire in it. You can smell it," said school superintendent Dean Stenehjem.
Vandals also ripped out some of the van's wiring.
Police took the video as evidence. "It's kind of tough to argue with the picture," Stenehjem said.
The school wants to keep its campus open to the public for picnics and recreation. To do so, the school is expanding its surveillance camera system just in case the vandals return.
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WTF? In case the vandals RETURN?!? There's video evidence, for christ's sake! Why not prosecute them?
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