The gates of James A. Long Elementary School remain locked, after someone broke into the school over the weekend stealing 22 laptops from the school library. Palatka Police Detective Alex Eagan says, "There was no sensitive information on the laptops or anything like that."
But they were for the students. Palatka locals say, "That's bad! Why would they steal from an elementary." "It's really terrible that someone would steal from a school, they're having a hard time financing school supplies and everything."
The thief or thieves broke a library window and grabbed the $22,000 worth of mac computers. But school officials tell Action News those laptops have a special engraving on them, Putnam County School District, a clue they're hoping will lead police to their stolen materials.
Detective Eagan says, "It's terrible. Our school district doesn't have a huge budget to begin with so for somebody to go and take those items that are expensive from students and inhibit their learning is absolutely its terrible."
Now when students return to school on August 22nd, they will have to find another way to do research for their classes without the 22 laptops.
If you have any information, call Palatka Police or Putnam County Crime Stoppers. The number is 1-888-277-TIPS.
