FULLERTON : Gibraltar Savings Trashed by Intruder

Investigators are trying to determine whether any money was taken by a 17-year-old who allegedly broke into into a savings and loan and destroyed furnishings and office supplies valued at $25,000, police said Monday.

The youth, whose name was withheld because of his age, was arrested Sunday morning inside Gibraltar Savings after police were alerted that someone had broken the front window of the the S&L; on the 200 block of W. Orangethorpe Avenue.

“Once inside, (the suspect) had completely demolished the inside of the bank, overturning desks and breaking everything in sight,” Police Sgt. Neil Baldwin said.

The S&L; manager estimated losses of $25,000 from damage to furniture, office machines, wall decorations, desks, telephones and other supplies, Sgt. S. Johnson said.

Johnson said officers found the youth on the second-floor office area of the S&L;, throwing telephones around the room.

“He just trashed the place,” Johnson said, adding that it was unclear how long the youth had been inside the building before officers arrived at 10:15 a.m. Johnson also said he did not know whether the vaults or money drawers had been tampered with.

S&L; officials were not available for comment Monday because the S&L; was closed for the Presidents’ Day holiday. Some employees were called in Sunday to help clean up, Johnson said. The youth remains in Juvenile Hall.