School Library Is Hit by Vandals

Vandals struck Arlington Elementary School in Torrance for the sixth time since December, this time attacking the library, where they yanked hundreds of books from shelves, ripped pages out of some volumes and doused others with liquid cleanser.

Dozens of books were ruined at the school at 17800 Van Ness Ave.

Three Arlington students have admitted being involved in the Sunday break-in and have been suspended for five days, said Principal Michael Brajevich. A fourth student has been suspended for his role in a May 27 incident.

Two Casimir Middle School sixth-grade students are believed to have also taken part in the library vandalism, said Torrance police, who are continuing an investigation.

All of the students are boys, ages 9 through 12, police said.

The students’ fingerprints will be taken and compared to prints found during earlier incidents at the school, said Torrance Juvenile Detective Walt Delsigne.

The string of break-ins began this winter, when vandals entered the school’s main office, damaged records and stole a microwave oven and cash, Brajevich said. Soon after, someone threw food packets around a classroom.

Then, on May 27, vandals “literally trashed” a classroom, painting walls and bulletin boards and ruining stereo equipment by dousing it with powdered cleanser, Brajevich said.