Miami school buses a slow-go due to vandalism

MIAMI -- Several private school bus drivers were sent scrambling Tuesday morning after the batteries were taken out of their vehicles during an attempted burglary.

The buses were parked in a lot that's fenced in and has a locked gate, according to CBS Miami. Police said Miguel Guerra, 36, used something to pry open a section of the fence to get inside.

According to the station, thanks to a sharp-eyed neighbor, police caught Guerra and recovered the batteries, but the cables on some of the batteries had been cut to remove them from the buses.

So most of the buses were repaired, but were running behind schedule because of the crime.

Bus owner-driver Jorge Balbuena told CBS Miami that the suspect hurt the bus owners and the students.

"This is my food. This is how I put food on the table. And this is how I help the people. Because most of these kids that we take, they're depending on us because the parents of these kids have to work."

CBS Miami reports it was the third time in the last three years that thieves targeted buses in the same lot. Police said the m.o. used was similar to the others. Officers also said Guerra's license plate number is linked to a previous burglary of a another school bus lot.

Guerra, 36, has been charged with seven counts of burglary, one count of possession of burglary tools and one count of criminal mischief.

He made his first appearance in court Tuesday afternoon, and was ordered held on $45,000 bond, plus house arrest.