Three adults and two juveniles have been arrested and charged with the burglary and vandalism that occurred at three Richmond Hill schools last month.
Richmond Hill Detective Mike Albritton said interviews conducted during the investigation pointed to the local residents. Arrested Dec. 11 were Michael Gresham, 19, and Richmond Hill High School seniors Patrick Williams, 17, and Randall Golden, 18. The names of the juveniles were not revealed.
Albritton said a search of Gresham’s home turned up cameras that were reported missing by the schools.
He also said shoe prints found at the scene matched those of the suspects. He said a finger print analysis is in the works.
The following is a look of the crimes the teens are being charged with:
On Dec. 22, Richmond Hill Primary School was broken into with property damage inside. Among the items damaged were windows, computers and televisions. Food was thrown about and a fire extinguisher was allegedly thrown through a window near the front office.
On Dec. 23, Carver Elementary was burglarized. The incident report says windows and two glass doors were busted that led to a cabinet in the nurse’s office containing prescription medication for students, which was ransacked.
On Dec. 24, RHHS was broken into. Several windows were shattered and the offices of the principal and vice principal were reportedly broken into. Two cash boxes were reportedly raided with $150 allegedly missing from each – one was slated to be used for basketball concessions while the other was for the gate.On Dec. 25 another incident took place at RHHS. This time the modular classroom units used for JROTC and Regina Tomlin’s history class were reportedly broken into and damaged. In the JROTC building, several of the trophies were damaged.
Albritton said he believes this case is now solved and that two of the suspects have confessed to committing the crimes. He said the Bryan County Board of Education, Bryan County Sheriff’s Department and the GBI assisted in the investigation.