Flashlight found at scene was similar to case last year

By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

A blue flashlight found last week at the site of a vehicle parts theft at Centre was similar in style and color to a flashlight found last fall when three buses were vandalized, Centre superintendent Susan Beeson said.

“I’m not one for conspiracy theories,” she said. “I’m not a suspecting individual, however, I agree that it gives you room for thought,” she said.

Vehicle batteries from five school vehicles, two radios, three fenders and front grills, and two catalytic converters reported stolen were among items reported stolen at 8:31 a.m. Thursday from school buses at Centre school district’s bus barn.

The items were worth an estimated $2,650, according to sheriff’s reports.

School administration was unsure when the thefts occurred, Beeson said. They believed the thefts happened last week, but determining an exact date was difficult, she said.

One of the buses that had its radio taken also had a cigarette inside, which raised concerns about the lengths the suspects went to, Beeson said.

“It does raise concerns,” she said. “If an individual is seeking to vandalize a location or property, I believe they’ll go to the extremes necessary to obtain equipment that can be sold.”