Prosser police investigate school break-ins [Yakima Herald-Republic, Wash.]

Nov. 30--PROSSER, Wash. -- Police are investigating more school break-ins here.

In two instances over the weekend, someone broke windows, stole items and vandalized Housel Middle School, detectives said Tuesday.

The burglaries come about six months after police arrested five young men for three break-ins at Prosser High School that resulted in strewn paint, smeared condiments and broken and stolen equipment totaling more than $500,000 in damage. All five have been convicted in Benton County Superior Court.

"I've never seen the schools targeted like this," said Detective Mark Cole, a 15-year officer with the Prosser Police Department. "It bothers me."

The middle school saw burglaries early Friday morning and early Sunday morning, Cole said. Evidence suggests the two are related, he said.

Cole said several items were stolen, though Cole would not specify what or how much to avoid interfering his investigation. Insurance representatives were working on a damage estimate Tuesday.

Some classrooms saw malicious damage that had nothing to do with theft, he said.

Cole suspects the culprit or culprits entered the buildings by breaking windows and were after specific items, he said.

Police are following up leads, Cole said. He spent about five hours at the middle school Sunday and returned Monday, though he did not interview any students Monday, he said. He also mined Facebook and found derogatory comments poking fun at the incidents.

"It's not funny, it's disgusting," Cole said. "As a police officer and a citizen of the community, I'm tired of people targeting the schools."

Cole grew up in Prosser, attended both the middle school and the high school and investigated the spring high school burglaries.

Ray Tolcacher, Prosser School District superintendent, said the break-ins did not disrupt the school schedule.

The middle school had incidents of vandalism last year but not break-ins, Tolcacher. They subsided after the district installed floodlights along the south side of the facility, he said.

However, the weekend break-ins occurred in a courtyard shielded from public view, he said. The school has security alarms and cameras in the area, but the schools may install more now, he said.

Tolcacher also declined to reveal specifics about the stolen goods to avoid hampering police. However, he said a mixture of both school and personal property were missing.

"We will not let up," Tolcacher said. "We will find out who did this and they are going pay."

-- Ross Courtney

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