Burglars struck for a second time in a month at the Ulla Muller Elementary School in St. Thomas on Tuesday night, vandalizing the library, the school’s administrative office and a pair of classrooms.
The suspects made off with computers, television sets, video cassette recorders, a laptop computer and a gift intended for a retiring member of the school’s staff.
Principal Ophelia Shillingford, speaking on Radio One’s Topp Talk today, recalled that in October a special education classroom was hit — in fact, "every week we have a classroom broken into."
In the latest break-in, burglars found a way to overcome added security measures, including a security grill installed in front of the library door.
"We are dealing with professionals here," the frustrated principal said.
"They have cut through the metal gate and the library door to get in," she added. Shillingford said that while the school is equipped with an alarm system, it does not have the money to pay the monthly service charges required for that system to be operational.
Some of the items taken from the school were marked, but "it seems that residents don’t mind buying these clearly stolen items," she said.
Police forensics agents spent considerable time at the school Wednesday attempting to lift fingerprints and secure any evidence that could lead to the identification of the persons responsible.
Police are asking anyone with information to call 774-4050 or 911.
