HOUSTON – Police have arrested a man they say may be responsible for a string of thefts at more than a dozen Houston-area schools.
Paul Anthony Scrutchin, 28, was arrested on Friday and charged with three counts of burglary of a building.
Crime Stoppers received tips from viewers who said they recognized Scrutchin in surveillance video.
Since the school year began, someone has stolen thousands of dollars worth of cash and electronics from locker rooms at 16 area schools. The thefts happened as recently as September 24, police said.
Most of the schools targeted were private schools, but police say at least three HISD schools may have been burglarized by the same man.
Surveillance cameras at HISD’s Chavez High, Booker T. Washington High and Scarborough High School showed a burglar fitting the same description as the private school cases.
During the first home football game of the season, Lutheran South Academy’s locker rooms were broken into, school officials said.
“We just noticed our locks were on the floor, and everyone was like, ‘Check your phones, check your laptops.’ My friends had their laptops stolen, and I looked on the shelf where my phone was and it was gone. We were all shocked,” said Nick Baggott, a high school junior.
http://liarcatchers.com/electronic_surveillance.html
Investigators said thefts happen during practice or actual games, while the players are on the field.
“He used bolt cutters—had them in a black bag. Other schools I’ve talked to said he’s used the same thing,” said Rob Psencik, the athletic director at Lutheran South.
Surveillance cameras show the burglar gaining access to the secured building by following the dance team inside. You can see him going into the home locker room as well as the visitors’.
“From us, he got about $15,000 worth of merchandise,” Psencik said. “It’s kind of scary, especially how he blends. He asked a kid, ‘Where’s the locker room?’, and the kid says, ‘Go on in and take a right.’ He feels confident that he blends in.”
School officials say they are taking extra security precautions to keep thefts from happening during games. But Houston police say most of the burglaries are happening during practice and during the middle of the week.
