THREE EX-STUDENTS CHARGED IN PIUTE SCHOOL VANDALISM TEENS, `JUST MESSING AROUND,' CAUSED $20,300 DAMAGE.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- Three former Piute Middle School students have been charged with breaking into and vandalizing the school, stealing candy and sports drinks, and causing an estimated $20,300 in damage.

The two 14-year-olds and one 13-year-old live in the school's neighborhood and were arrested after deputies received an anonymous tip.

``What's sad is the teachers who put in time in setting up the classroom. One was crushed, she was absolutely just devastated,'' Deputy Michael Rodi said. ``They use a lot of their own personality and own teaching techniques and projects that they put together and save, hours of filing stuff that was just destroyed for no reason.''

When asked why they did it, the boys said they were ``just messing around,'' Rodi said.

The Piute vandalism occurred sometime over the July 21 weekend. Intruders smashed windows in 10 classrooms and a computer lab, splattered paint, damaged classroom equipment and emptied fire extinguishers.

One of the 14-year-olds is a gang member and was free awaiting trial on charges stemming from a robbery at the 7-Eleven store at Third Street East and Avenue I, about a half-mile from the school, Rodi said.

He and the 13-year-old are also believed to have burglarized Piute on four previous occasions, Rodi said.

The boys, whose names have not been released because of their ages, are facing charges of burglary and vandalism in Lancaster Juvenile Court, Rodi said.

At one time, Rodi said, all three had attended Piute School, in the 400 block of East Avenue H-11.

At two of the boys' homes, deputies found property taken from the July burglary at Piute, Rodi said.

Lancaster School District is taking steps to beef up security at Piute.

On Aug. 1, the school board approved spending nearly $40,000 to install motion detectors at the Piute campus. Trustees also approved providing extra security patrols at the school after school hours and on weekends until the new security system can be operational.

The plan is to have similar anti-theft systems installed at all district schools.

``Piute has been hit tremendously hard with vandalism and break-ins over the last six months. Piute was the first priority (for added security),'' Deputy Superintendent Howard Sundberg said.

The district also is looking at installing surveillance cameras at Piute, Sundberg said.

Sundberg said in past break-ins, teachers' personal property has been taken.

``Teachers often bring in equipment that can enhance learning that goes on in the classroom. Those things have been getting stolen as well. Fundraising money has been stolen. It's kind of senseless stuff,'' Sundberg said. ``It's gotten to the point that the cost is so high for that. We are hoping the security system can alleviate some of that cost.''

Piute is on a year-round schedule, and classes began on July 10. A school employee who came to work July 23 discovered the damage and called sheriff's deputies. From one classroom, the intruders stole snacks and candy, four bottles of Gatorade, four calculators and three laptop computer bags, with a total value of $209.

In one room, the word ``slob'' was written on a table in paint. That derogatory slang word is often aimed at members of the Bloods street gang, deputies said.

All the rooms except the computer lab were also ransacked. Contents of file cabinets, other cabinets and desks were scattered about the rooms, according to a sheriff's report. Paint was splattered on walls, carpet, ceilings, desks and computers in two rooms, and fire extinguishers were emptied onto contents of three other rooms.

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(1 -- color) Vandals covered computers with paint at Piute Middle School in Lancaster. Three former Piute students have been charged with vandalism, deputies said Friday.

(2) The floors were covered with paint at Piute Middle School in Lancaster. The school was vandalized on a Saturday evening in July, and deputies have arrested three former Piute students suspected of causing the vandalism.

(3 -- 5) The damage to several classrooms ranged from broken windows to paint splashed on the walls, stolen money and other forms of destruction.

Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News