MOORPARK : Vandals Shatter 44 Windows at School

Vandals have broken 44 windows and stolen two computers from Moorpark Community High School in a recent string of crimes, authorities said.

The worst incident occurred last weekend when 43 windows and a skylight at the school were smashed and a computer was stolen from the school office, said Lyle Richardson, director of facilities for the Moorpark Unified School District.

The computer was worth about $2,300, he said.

On Tuesday afternoon, a gunshot cracked another window at the school, Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy Marty Rouse said. The damage, which could have been caused by a BB gun, was reported at 3:15 p.m. after school was out, Rouse said. On Jan. 15, a computer and printer valued at about $1,500 were stolen from a classroom, Rouse said. Deputies believe that the thief reached through an open window to grab the equipment, he said.

Deputies have no suspects in the crimes, Rouse said, but it’s “a good possibility” that the culprits are students at the school.

“Schools, routinely, when they’re vandalized, they’re vandalized by their own students or a rival school’s students,” Rouse said.

However, Principal Gabino Aguirre said he does not think any of the 80 students at the continuation school committed the crimes.

School district officials plan to leave the windows boarded up, not replacing the glass, Richardson said. The school is expected to move in about a year to a building that is under construction.