Construction workers at Brownwood’s East Elementary School were surprised to return to work Tuesday to find that the school had been broken into and vandalized over the holiday weekend.
According to Brownwood Police, suspects broke into the school and vandalized five classrooms and a hallway.
The classrooms and hallway were soiled with a variety of products and items. Numerous items from inside the classrooms such as play money, hand sanitizer and supplies were thrown into the hallway and classrooms.
One area received damage when the suspects found a small bottle of paint and squirted it around, staining some of the carpeting which will have to be replaced.
“They just ran through and made a mess,” said Brownwood ISD Maintenance Director Vic Singleton. “It’s just a nuisance vandalism. The kids took about a pound or two of sugar and threw it all over the floors, in the classrooms and hallway.”
Police officials state the clean-up and damage was estimated to total about $2500.
“It looks like young juveniles,” stated Singleton. “Probably kids looking for something to do.”
Singleton explained that luckily it was not older suspects that could have caused more damage or stolen equipment in the school.
According to Singleton, the school is being renovated with the addition of a new wing as well as new roofing and air conditioning. The break-in caused minimal damage considering what could have happened, Singleton reported. The computers were covered up to keep the construction dust from damaging them which also protected them from the vandals.
Singleton stated that it looked like a window or two had been left open, which was possibly the way the vandals entered the school.
“We got out pretty lucky I think,” said Singleton. “It just turned out to be more of a wakeup call.”
On the positive side, with the drought, there has been no rain delay on the construction project and things are on schedule. Singleton said the new wing has tile on the walls, cabinets installed and ceiling tile will be put into the new wing soon. Air conditioning and roofing on the old part of the school is nearly complete as well.
“Despite this incident, the project is moving ahead. I think it is promising for the new and old part to have classrooms ready for the beginning of school,” said Singleton.
Police are actively investigating this case, but currently have not named any suspects.
Pictured above: Paint splattered on a classroom wall.
Pictured below: Views of the littered hallway and classrom. Photos contributed.
