School senior pranks can sometimes lead to damaged property, but not so much that it costs $70,000. But that is what happened at a school in San Diego, leaving police looking for answers.
The incident occurred during finals week, and as per security camera footage, it was just one person who glued shut around 200 door locks, making it nearly impossible for anybody to insert their keys.
The suspect was seen on camera wearing a sweater with a clear identification mark on it, but police believe the suspect could have been someone outside the school.
Nevertheless, the motive of the bizarre incident is unclear, leaving students and teachers scratching their heads.
The Suspect Sealed Doors in Around Two Hours
According to a report by ABC 7 Eyewitness News, nearly 200 door locks at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego were glued shut during finals week toward the end of May.
The effects of the incident linger even after two weeks, as some keys still won’t slide into locks. Although the suspect was caught on camera, nobody has been able to identify him.
Student Christopher Guzman sensed something was amiss when he reached the school on May 26, as he saw all the teachers on the floor picking at the locks. He said:
“It’s pretty crazy.
“I was walking in, right, and I looked around. There’s all these teachers on the floor. They had these little – I don’t know what they were doing, but they were picking at the locks.”
Damage to the property totals $70,000, leading Crime Stoppers to step in and investigate. A reward of $1,000 has been offered to anyone who provides information about the suspect.
Eventually, the teachers were able to enter several classrooms, and their planned schedule for the day was not ruined. Guzman said he had to take his final at the end:
“We still had class that day. Yes, I had to take the final…shoot!”
Police Identify a “B” on the Suspect’s Clothing
San Diego Unified Police Detective Sergeant Roberto Bonilla identified a particular mark on the suspect’s outfit that could be a significant clue. He said:
“The subject is wearing a very unique sweater with a B on the top of the chest area here. It’s a hooded sweater, covered face. We’re hoping someone will recognize him.”
The police believe this was not a group effort but the work of a single person who moved around the campus for around two hours, gluing shut door locks for reasons yet to be known.
There was speculation in the school that the act was done by a senior as a prank, but detectives are unsure whether a student at the school could cause so much damage. Det. Sgt. Bonilla said:
“It is typical to see senior pranks, but those are more lighthearted, funny, more clever, but nothing to this extreme of damaging over $70,000 worth of property.”
With the summer break approaching, it was a busy period at the school, but this incident caused a significant disruption, according to Det. Sgt. Bonilla, who said:
“The last couple of weeks of school is very busy. Teachers, students are trying to get everything together before the summer break and it just created a big disruption.”