Authorities see links in regional break-ins

Burglars have targeted electronic devices, drugs and curling irons in break-ins throughout Southwest Nebraska the past of couple weeks. Surveillance equipment tracked masked thieves' movements through schools in Hayes Center and in Cambridge.

Law enforcement officers believe that incidents at schools in Benkelman, Hayes Center, Cambridge and at the Southern Valley school and at a beauty shop in Benkelman are related.

HAYES CENTER

The first school break-in in the area appears to have been at the high school in Hayes Center, during the early-morning hours of Sunday, July 22. According to the Hayes Center Times-Republican newspaper, two people are visible on the school's video tape, one wearing a ski mask, the other a bandana. Both wear gloves.

After prying open the lock on a boiler room door, the two broke into the locked door of the computer tech room, stealing laptop computers, iPads, electronic notepads and other electronic devices. The two made four trips in and out of the school, carrying their booty in trash cans they also took from the school.

BENKELMAN

The Benkelman Post newspaper reports that two or three burglars stole iPads in a break-in at the Benkelman Elementary School some time between 8 p.m., Sunday, July 29, and 6:30 a.m., Monday, July 30. The thieves smashed a window on the south side of the school, and entered classrooms by breaking small rectangular windows in their doors to reach door locks.

Dundy County Sheriff Justin Nichols told the Post the burglars appeared to know what they were looking for, passing up desktop computers, laptop computers and the contents of teachers' desks to steal 10 iPads.

CAMBRIDGE

Thieves struck again, the next time at Cambridge Public Schools about 1:10 a.m., Tuesday, July 31. Surveillance tapes show five individuals wearing hooded sweatshirts with face masks and gloves who broke a window in the school kitchen and a door on the east side of the building.

The Cambridge Clarion reports that the individuals entered almost every classroom in the elementary and high schools and broke glass windows to enter locked doors. Their take here was six iPads, four televisions, a Wii console and games, three digital cameras and SD cards, cash and some T-shirts.

The thieves cut power to the surveillance video at 1:42 a.m., disconnected the hard drive that stores the video and carried it down the hallway before leaving it behind near an exit. The Clarion reports that the back-up for the video storage was left intact.

SOUTHERN VALLEY

Two days later, at 1:30 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 2, burglars tripped an alarm at the Southern Valley School (south of Oxford, east of Beaver City and west of Stamford) and left the scene before stealing anything and before Furnas and Harlan county sheriff's officers arrived.

Two suspects gained entry to the school by breaking a glass door on the elementary school.

BENKELMAN

Back in Benkelman, during the night of Sunday, July 29 and the early morning of Monday, July 30, someone broke into Val's Beauty Shop, stealing hair care products, clippers, curling irons and jewelry. Burglars used a rock to break a window on the south side of the business and exited out the front door.

Then, through the night of Wednesday, Aug. 1, someone(s) broke into the Benkelman Pharmacy, stealing thousands of pills of controlled medications. Criminals used a crowbar to break through two doors to gain access to the pharmacy's main sales floor.

Sheriff Nichols told the Post that those who broke into Val's are believed to be the same who broke into the Benkelman school.

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Furnas County Sheriff Kurt Kapperman said investigators believe that the same individuals are responsible for other school break-ins through Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.

Anyone with suspicions or information on the crimes is encouraged to contact any of these officers:

Hayes County Sheriff Tom Dow, (308) 737-1514.

Dundy County Sheriff Justin Nichols, (308) 423-2392.

Furnas County Sheriff Kurt Kapperman, (308) 697-3717 or (308) 268-2245.