Home | Back

Still no suspect in school board vandalism

Share_print Print Story    |    Comments    |   

By Kevin Wheatley
November 18, 2009

 

Whoever broke into the Franklin County School Board two months ago and did more than $150,000 in damage with a flammable liquid is still at large. 

Someone broke into the school board building Sept. 17 and covered several desks, workstations and office furniture in an unidentified liquid – described by the responding officer as gasoline.

Maj. Fred Deaton of the Frankfort Police said officers are still waiting for laboratory tests to determine the liquid’s precise identity.

Deaton also said police couldn’t determine where the perpetrator broke into the school board – on 916 E. Main St. right behind the East Frankfort Fire Station – because there were no signs of forced entry.

While the school board’s front door is clearly visible, the basement entrance is down a ramp and almost invisible from view – even from the nearby fire station.

Deaton said police have interviewed a number of employees and have reviewed the school board’s agenda to see if there were any hot-button issues recently or in the near future.

“I don’t know what specifically was on the calendar,” Deaton said. “I did ask at one point because they had a rather heated public debate about a tax increase, but there was nothing imminent on the agenda to my knowledge.”

The school board proposed a property tax increase of 5 cents last year to pay for various school programs and positions such as the literacy program and school resource officers. The proposal was killed Oct. 6, 2008 because of public opposition and the nation’s economic struggles. 

Any recently fired employees would also be “an avenue of investigation,” Deaton said.

The school board claimed $157,000 in damages to the Kentucky School Boards Association, its insurance provider, Communications Coordinator Wayne Dominick said.

Police say a significant amount of the unidentified liquid was used and the building had to be aired out during the cleaning process.

Cleaning the building took about six days, and Dominick said the school board received its last shipment of new furniture Nov. 5.

In light of the break-in, the school board has strengthened its security, Dominick said.

The new system cost $7,580 and requires a keycard or approval from the front desk to enter. Everyone who works there has a keycard now, Dominick said.

Prior to the break-in, the building was open during regular hours.

Dominick said the school board had discussions about increasing security, but the break-in made security a priority.

“We had talked about (the building’s security), but (the break-in) was the catalyst that got it moving. We’d talked about how easy it was to get into the building, but that kind of brought it into the forefront.”

When asked how he thought the perpetrator got in the building since there was no reported sign of forced entry, Dominick said, “It’s in the police’s hands.”

“They’re conducting their investigation. We’re leaving them to their job, and that’s about all there is.”

Deaton said he didn’t know how the burglar compromised the old security system and got into the building.

“That’s one of the things that’ll come out at the conclusion of the investigation,” Deaton said. “I would definitely think that would raise an eyebrow and would be a question that needed to be answered.”

School board member Larry Perkins told The State Journal Sept. 18 the facts of the break-in were a concern because that could mean the burglar was familiar with the office.

Here’s what police and reports say happened around 8:30 p.m. Sept. 17:

An employee of the school board, Holly Waits, came to retrieve files from the office at 8:34 p.m. She noticed a suspicious odor and called police, who arrived on the scene five minutes later.

The burglar poured the volatile liquid on approximately eight desks and workstations on the first floor and six desks and workstations in the basement. The suspect also covered a computer server with the liquid.

Furnishings in the payroll and finance office seemed to have the most damage. There was no sign the perpetrator tried to ignite the liquid.

Nothing was stolen, even though laptops and computers were in plain sight. The crime is being investigated as a felony third-degree burglary and no weapons or tools were used. 

 




Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed. State-Journal.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.

Login above or Register to comment.
 0 Total Comments Home | Back