Vandals hit KMS
$10K in equipment reported stolen

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Vandals broke into Kennedy Mid School early Saturday morning, trashing a number of the administrative offices and getting away with about $10,000 worth of equipment.

County School Superintendent Karen White said late Sunday that the persons responsible apparently got in through a west gym door, which probably wasn't easy since it had welding on it.

Once they got in, the vandals apparently spent a great deal of time in the school because damage was done to several administrative areas, mostly with the use of one of a number of fire extinguishers that were emptied.

The windows to the principal's and vice-principal's offices were also broken.

None of the classrooms were damaged, but both the home economics room and the chorus room were entered, with the chorus room sprayed with a fire extinguisher.

As for the home economics room, White said there was no damage, but school officials found an empty gallon of ice cream.

The only things that were taken, she said, was a digital camera, projector and laptops.

"They must have had a car," she said, because of the amount of stuff that was taken.

Entry must have occurred after 1 a.m. Saturday, White said, because one of the teachers was working late that night and didn't go home until then. Another teacher came later that morning and discovered the damage.

There are no suspects.

Some of the schools in the district have security cameras but Kennedy isn't one of them, she said, adding there's talk that Gov. Bill Richardson is thinking of freeing up some state money in the future to provide more schools with security cameras.

School will open as usual today.

"We had custodians come in on overtime pay on Sunday to clean up the damage," White said.