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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Snohomish school hit by vandalism, theft The damage forced Riverview Elementary to close for a day. Thieves took charity money and electronics. By Jackson Holtz and Eric Stevick Herald Writers SNOHOMISH -- Vandals broke into Riverview Elementary School this weekend, took expensive electronics, stole cash earmarked to help starving people in Ethiopia and left behind a huge mess. Students were kept home from the Snohomish school Monday morning as crews cleaned up and police investigated the overturned chairs, discharged fire extinguishers and classrooms that were damaged during the break-in. "The whole thing just makes your stomach turn," said Ken Hammond, whose sons are in the second and sixth grades at Riverview. He said he received an automated call from school officials about 7:45 a.m. Monday about the vandalism. Students were given the option of staying home or watching movies in the school gymnasium. Hammond's two boys helped him in the garden Monday. "I feel real sad about it," the father said. "Whoever did it, it was pathetic." Someone apparently got into the school and sprayed fire extinguishers all over and tossed things around, said Rebecca Hover, a Snohomish County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. Deputies have taken fingerprints and photographs and interviewed several people. "We have a room-by-room accounting of items missing and damaged," said Dan Foster, the Snohomish School District's director of operations. "As far as a bottom-line dollar figure, we don't have that in place yet. That will take several days." Two video cameras, speakers and about $200 cash were stolen, said Betty Robertson, the district's acting superintendent. The cash had been collected by students for field trips, breast cancer research and to help people in Ethiopia. "It's incredible how one random act of violence has caused such a ripple effect beyond the Riverview community," said Shaunna Ballas, president of the school's parent-teacher organization. District officials aren't sure how the vandals got into the school. There is an alarm system but it didn't detect the break-in, Robertson said. A representative from the security company was at the school Monday. The weekend vandalism is the third time the school has been targeted in the past year. Last summer the playground melted. Firefighters believe fireworks sparked a blaze that destroyed plastic playground equipment. Earlier this year, vandals sprayed graffiti all over the playground. Gregory Pratt has a fourth-grader at Riverview. He said he was stunned at the most recent vandalism. "It's very frustrating," he said. Some parents were talking Monday about offering a reward for information to help lead to an arrest. They also discussed raising money to replace the stolen donations, Ballas said. "It goes to show how special and unique the Riverview community is," she said. Pratt's 10-year-old daughter, Amy, was upset about the vandalism. She had worked hard on school projects that likely are ruined. "I think that it was a very bad thing and I don't know why people did it," Amy said. "It makes me feel sad." She had a message for whoever is responsible: "I'd tell them that it was a very bad thing to do." Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com

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