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Electronics, donated shoes stolen from middle school overnight [Charleston Daily Mail, W.Va.](Charleston Daily Mail (WV) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sept. 29--A man broke into East Bank Middle School early Monday morning and stole computers, electronics and donated shoes from the school. Kanawha Cpl. Brian Humphreys said the suspect entered the building through a kitchen vent on the roof and stole several pieces of "computer equipment" from the school. Humphreys released a photo of the suspect obtained from the school's surveillance cameras. East Bank Middle School Principal Michael Wilkinson said based on the video footage, the suspect is not a student or a person that school staff are familiar with, but that it appears the suspect was familiar with the school. "We have this huge drainage system, and he just scaled the wall like he was Spiderman and got up on the roof that way," Wilkinson said. "He seemed to be somewhat familiar with the building." Wilkinson said the suspect dropped into the school's kitchen from the roof, damaging the ventilation system. Once the suspect was inside, Wilkinson said he stole a flat screen television, at least two laptops, at least Xbox 360 gaming consoles and at least two pairs of new shoes that had been donated by members of the community for students in need. Wilkinson said the stolen electronics are valued at $2,200. He said the ventilation system had been repaired as of Monday afternoon. The overnight heist is disappointing, Wilkinson said, because it means students will miss out on those educational resources. "It's just very disappointing when people come into the school and take away from these kids," Wilkinson said. "That's all they're doing." Wilkinson said student security was not compromised in the overnight break-in. He said students and visitors can only enter the school through the front entrance during the school day, and that all other doors are locked or equipped with a card access system. Anyone with information on the crime can call the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department at 304-357-0169 or submit a tip online at www.kanawhasheriff.us. Contact writer Marcus Constantino at 304-348-1796 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/amtino. ___ (c)2014 the Charleston Daily Mail (Charleston, W.Va.) Visit the Charleston Daily Mail (Charleston, W.Va.) at www.dailymail.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |