CHICAGO — Vandals who broke into and ransacked offices at Whitney Young High School Tuesday caused over $10,000 in damage, according to the school's principal.
Three offices within the school's physical education building were broken into and vandalized sometime between 12:30 a.m. and 5:15 a.m. Tuesday, said Officer Kevin Quaid, a Chicago Police spokesman. The Tuesday incident marks the third time in six weeks that Whitney Young, 211 S. Laflin St., has been vandalized, said principal Joyce Kenner.
Not only did the burglars break windows and trash offices, but they also stole cash from two of the offices and from a vending machine, Kenner said. She said the money was collected as part of a team's uniform funds.
Also stolen was merchandise from the vending machine, as well as a bag that contained thousands of dollars worth of camera lenses, but the lenses were left behind, Kenner said.
The offices, which belonged to two coaches and the athletic director, were broken into and ransacked.
"There was a lot of damage," Kenner said. "All three windows were broken out. They completely trashed the three offices. Every cabinet, every piece of paper, they trashed."
A view of one of the ransacked offices at Whitney Young High School. [submitted]
Police and school officials believe the vandals likely were in the building during normal hours and stayed inside after closing. Kenner said an alarm was only triggered once, when the vandals left the building early Tuesday.
The offices were inside the school's physical education building, which is jointly operated with the Chicago Park District, Kenner said. There are no security guards or security cameras in the building, and Kenner said the building was being used by parks patrons the night before the burglary.
"Anyone can come in and out of that building without our knowledge," Kenner said.
A spokesperson for Chicago Public Schools did not return calls for comment, but Kenner did say that Board of Education staff was out at the school and that the district will install some cameras in the school.
No arrests have been made, as an investigation into the break-in is ongoing, police said.
Kenner said she cannot think of a motive for such attacks on the Near West Side school.
"We've never had this level (of illegal activity) before," she said. "We're not sure why they're targeting this building."
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