Sheriff's Office probing school, Town public works break-ins

Add La Conner Schools and the Town Public Works Department to the list of recent local theft targets.

Burglaries occurred at the school transportation shop and La Conner Public Works garage a week ago Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, said Sgt. Jeff Willard of the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office La Conner detachment.

The Sheriff’s Office is reviewing video evidence in each case, Willard told the Weekly News on Monday.

“We have been able to identify a vehicle and license plate and are in the process of identifying a subject seen on (the public works) video,” Willard said. “The deputies are collecting data and conducting a detailed investigation.”

Willard said it is unknown at present whether the two cases are connected.

“At this time,” he said, “it’s unknown if they are related. That’s something we’re looking into.”

Willard said since the break-ins are part of an ongoing investigation, the Sheriff’s Office is limited in what it can say publicly about the incidents.

“What I can say is we believe the bus garage burglary was prior to public works,” said Willard. “It may have been the first one.”

Willard said a list of items taken from the school transportation shop is being compiled.

“Most items of value were stored in a different place,” La Conner Superintendent of Schools Dr. Whitney Meissner said last week, “but the intruder did steal spare keys for all our buses. I’m not sure yet of the estimate on damage.”

Town Administrator Scott Thomas said approximately $11,340 in items were taken from the public works garage off North Third Street, three blocks west of the school campus.

“We lost a number of tools and a couple of generators,” Thomas said, “and the thief went through our vehicles that were parked inside the shop and found a gas card.”

Town residents had earlier been beset with a string of petty thefts coinciding with the statewide ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ initiative designed to curb spread of the coronavirus.

Swinomish Tribal Police have recovered some of the yard art items taken during the previous spree, most of which have been returned to their owners, said Lt. Earl Cowan.

The Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation, Cowan said.