MOORPARK : School Janitor, Wife Arrested in Theft

A custodian at Chaparral Middle School has been arrested on suspicion of stealing computers from the Moorpark school, authorities said Friday.

John McGuiness, 24, of Simi Valley, was arrested Thursday by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department after an anonymous tipster said that McGuiness had stolen the equipment, deputies said.

On Friday, his wife Linda, 35, was arrested on suspicion of aiding in the sale of stolen property. In addition, a Thousand Oaks resident voluntarily turned in a computer system Friday that she said she had purchased from John McGuiness for about $700, deputies said.

Authorities said the computer and printer, valued at $2,000, were identified as belonging to the Moorpark Unified School District.

Sheriff’s deputies also recovered two Apple computers and one printer from McGuiness’ Moorpark home and a Simi Valley address. The stolen computer equipment is worth about $4,500 and was slated for use in the new science wing of the middle school, deputies said.

McGuiness was arrested on suspicion of burglary, receiving stolen property and removing serial numbers from electronic equipment. He remains in the county jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

His wife turned herself in to detectives Friday and was booked on suspicion of facilitating the sale of stolen property, deputies said. Her bail was set at $5,000.