Equipment Stolen, Fires Ignited at Newspaper : Crime: The theft and attack come a month after vandals smashed windows at the office. Investigators have no motive.

The Mid-Valley News, El Monte’s 26-year-old newspaper, was hit over the weekend by arsonists who ignited a blaze that caused $100,000 damage after stealing more than $17,000 worth of computers and other electronic equipment, authorities said.

No arrests have been made in the Sunday fire and theft, and investigators know of no motive.

Michael R. De Wees , 23, editor and publisher of the 15,000-circulation weekly, said the break-in and fire came only a month after the office’s windows were smashed by vandals.

De Wees said the Mid-Valley News recently published a story about a drug dealer allegedly doing business on the street outside the paper’s offices and has supported Mayor Patricia Wallach’s recent stand against adding 10 officers to the city’s police force.

Although he doubted that such stories might have prompted the violence against the paper, the editor added that “it’s hard for me to accept that just a common thief would take the trouble to torch the place.”

Thieves broke in through the back door of the newspaper office at 11362 Valley Blvd., said El Monte arson investigator Mitchell Martinez. Computers, software and a fax machine were taken before fires were ignited in several locations, including a pile of papers placed on a chair, he said. Police saw the flames and called firefighters at 12:45 a.m. The blaze was extinguished in 14 minutes by 15 firefighters.

Despite the missing equipment and flame-gutted office, the 12-person Mid-Valley staff shifted to an office next door on Monday and distributed half of its regular Wednesday edition. The remainder of the papers were expected to be circulated today, De Wees said.

De Wees, who serves on the boards of several local civic organizations, said he received help after the fire from the Rotary Club and the El Monte/South El Monte Chamber of Commerce.

The newspaper was founded in 1966 by a group of El Monte business owners and has changed hands four times. De Wees acquired the paper in March, 1991, when the former owners declared bankruptcy. He took over the publication in lieu of back pay owed him.

At the time, the paper was losing money and had only three staff members with a 7,000 circulation, De Wees said. But after upgrading the paper’s computer system, getting more commercial ads to bolster its legal advertising income and adding nine staff members, circulation is now at 15,000, he said.

“The fire will definitely set us back, but it won’t stop us,” he said.