Detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station’s Career Offenders, Burglary, and Robbery Apprehension (COBRA) Team are seeking public assistance in identifying two people of interest thought to be responsible for four separate incidents of school burglary that occurred over the spring break between Friday, March 29,  and Friday, April 5.

The attached photos were captured from a surveillance camera at Hart High School during the early morning hours on Friday, 04/05/2013. The photos depict one of the two men believed to have stolen items from inside the administration building during the Hart High School burglary.

The four incidents occurred at Old Orchard Elementary School, Sierra Vista Junior High School, Newhall Elementary School, and Hart High School during the spring break. Laptop computers, a television, and other items were stolen during the burglaries resulting in a substantial loss for the school district. In each of the incidents, forced entry was made into offices or classrooms on the campuses. The offices were ransacked and the items stolen.

Our local school resource deputies are in contact with many of our school administrators daily and work to ensure open lines of communication between our station and all our schools. Santa Clarita Valley Station patrol deputies have been briefed on these burglary incidents and will continue extra directed patrols at our schools and surrounding neighborhoods. Residents are asked to immediately report and suspicious persons or vehicles on or around school campuses, especially during off school hours and weekends. If you see a flashlight or cell phone light on a school campus during the night time or early morning hours you should call 9-1-1.

With 6 school districts, more than 70 public and private schools, and a student body population in excess of 50,000 students in the Santa Clarita Valley, protecting each of our schools is no small task. We need the eyes and ears of our local residents. Preventing and solving crimes involving our schools is extremely important to all the deputies assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. Deputies will not tolerate the disruption of the educational process in Santa Clarita and anyone intent on negatively impacting our schools and their educational resources. As the investigations continue, we are asking anyone with information regarding these crimes or the man pictured to call detectives with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station’s COBRA team at 661-255-1121. For anonymous tips, please call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).