PUHI — A rock normally used to prop open a door was used to break into an Island School office earlier this week, according to the private school’s principal, Robert Springer. The school was used for “E Kanikapila” Monday night,
PUHI — A rock normally used to prop open a door was used to break into an Island School office earlier this week, according to the private school’s principal, Robert Springer.
The school was used for “E Kanikapila” Monday night, Springer said, so the break-in must have taken place some time following that event.
Burglars used the rock, slightly larger than a softball, to smash through a double-paned glass window to gain access to the office of the school’s Dean of Students.
“We don’t really know what the motive of the break-in was because the only thing that was taken was a computer processor,” Springer said. “But none of the school’s records are kept on the processor. Everything is secured on the school’s server and the thief cannot gain access to any of the records using that computer.”
Springer said none of the school’s records are in jeopardy and police were called to investigate the incident.
Initially, Springer said the attempt was apparently to break into the office from a smaller window located on the opposite side of the building, but after failing to gain access through that avenue, the perpetrators moved around the building where they smashed the window, reached in and opened the locked door from the inside.
A door inside the office was also smashed with the rock, although Springer said that was unnecessary because once in the outer office, gaining access to the computer was fairly easy.
The principal said having a security guard on the property was likely a reason that more things were not taken.
“The burglars had to carry the computer all the way outside the school campus,” Springer said. “The gates to the school are locked once the event is over, and that prevented anyone from driving vehicles into the area. If a car or truck had been driven to the area, a lot more things could’ve been taken.”
The incident comes on the heels of a break-in at the neighboring Kaua‘i Community College bookstore where thieves made off with a safe on the school’s second day of instruction last week Tuesday.
Jolynne Uyesono, the KCC bookstore manager, said they have been talking with Gary Nitta, KCC’s director of administrative services, about additional security measures for the area, including the possibility of fencing off the entire college campus.
Anyone with details about either incident is encouraged to call the Kaua‘i Police Department.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
