Mess Left in Wake of School Burglaries

Pasco County sheriff’s deputies are still investigating three separate burglaries that occured at West Pasco schools over the weekend.

The schools hit are River Ridge Middle, Chasco Elementary and Ridgewood High. It is unclear if the burglaries are connected.

At River Ridge Middle School, more than 40 classrooms were burglarized. Deputies are still assessing the extent of items stolen, but they disclosed laptops were taken from River Ridge and Chasco Elementary.

Sheriff Chris Nocco said some classrooms had also been vandalized. A photo shows the mess left behind in one River Ridge Middle classroom.

Portables were struck at Chasco Elementary School. The concession area at Ridgewood High School was hit.

The only school where an alarm was sounded was River Ridge Middle, said Sheriff Chris Nocco. That alarm went off Saturday night, during a school event.

Deputies are still trying to establish a timeline for the burglaries, Nocco said.

Jennifer Krill, a spokeswoman for the school district, said all classes were in session Monday. Classes that usually met in the rooms that were burglarized were instead relocated.

Anyone with tips about the burglaries is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 727-884-7711. Tips can also be passed along on the sheriff’s office’s website or Facebook page.