Watsonville High Burglary On New Year's Eve: $2K In Items Stolen

WATSONVILLE, CA — A man has been arrested in connection with a New Year's Eve burglary at Watsonville High School that resulted in the theft of more than $2,000 in equipment.

Michael S. Mortimer, 27, has been booked into Santa Cruz County Jail and arrested on suspicion of second-degree burglary and violating probation, jail records show.

Officers arrived on Dec. 31 to the high school after receiving a report of a burglary, but found the burglar had fled, police said. Two residents gave police a detailed description of the burglar and officers arrested Mortimer about a block away from the school.

Police recovered nine stolen laptops, a projector and an equipment cart, police said.

Mortimer was on probation for burglary at the time of the crime, police said. He remains in jail, where he is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.