Thirty-nine solar panels valued at $31,200 were stolen from Hearst Elementary School over the weekend, just a few months after being installed, according to the school district.
Myla Grasso, public information officer for the district, said the school’s principal was at the school midday Saturday and noticed panels were on the ground.
The panels were taken sometime between 3 p.m. Friday and 9:45 a.m. Saturday, police said. Det. Dana Stout added that there were no witnesses or phone calls to police about suspicious behavior during that time, nor were there surveillance cameras running.
While the investigation continues, Stout said it was definitely more than one person who used a ladder and basic tools to remove the panels, which weigh about 25 to 30 pounds each and were affixed by brackets. Tools were left on the scene and they were brushed for fingerprints, but Stout couldn’t confirm the results of the test.
While the panels technically belong to Honeywell, an industrial supplies manufacturer, Grasso said it will be an insurance claim for the district.
“We appreciate the community keeping eyes and ears open,” Grasso said, adding that they don’t know of any leads as to who could be responsible.
