Thieves, vandals trashed schools, stole computers

By Holmes County Herald staff

Holmes County Herald/STPNS

February 15, 2008

LEXINGTON, Mississippi (STPNS) -- Vandals were responsible for approximately $31,000 in damages to J.J. McClain High School and Lexington Elementary School on the night of Tuesday, February 5 according to Holmes County Superintendent of Education Powell Rucker. Rucker said most of the damage was at McClain and that the vandals broke some window at LES that activated an alarm that apparently scared them away.

Rucker said the vandals broke windows in six classrooms, destroyed doors in the technology department, and discharged fire extinguishers in the rooms.

Holmes County Sheriff Willie March said said two suspects, ages 14 and 15, were arrested in the case. The youths are currently being held in the youth detention center in Greenwood.

According to Youth Court Referee Robert G. Clark III the youths are being held by court order of the youth court until disposition of their case. He said the youths will initially appear before the Holmes County Youth Court which meets on the second and the fourth Wednesdays of each month.

He said the youths will be offered a court-appointed attorney if they need one.

It is possible for the youth court prosecutor, John Gilmore, to petition the court for the youths to be certified as adults based on the information available concerning the case and the youth court judge will decide whether to certify the youths as adults or try them as juveniles. Clark stressed that, unless or until the youths have been certified as adults, all matters of the youth court remain confidential.

Gilmore stated that he had not received the official paperwork for the case and did not know the details.

Clark said certifying the youths as adults would depend on the seriousness of the crimes with which they have been charged and the circumstances of the case as presented by the prosecutor.

Holmes County Deputy Sheriff Roosevelt March said that a major crime against McClain High School occurred on January 18 when someone broke into the school and stole $19,370 worth of laptop computers.

March urges anyone who has any information about the break in and theft call the Holmes County Sheriff's office at 662-834-1511 or the Crimestoppers hotline at 662-834-0099. He said to remind everyone that they want just your information and not your name!

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