Vandals Break In at Marin School
Novato Police are investigating recent break-ins at San Marin High School as hate crimes after finding racist graffiti spray-painted on the walls.
Police Lt John McCarthy tells KCBS that the vandals actually broke in twice over the past several days. The first happened this past Friday, and then again either Monday night or Tuesday morning.
"Both incidents were extensive vandalism focused primarily in the cafeteria, as well as the student center," said McCarthy. "The individuals had forced entry to get in those building. They used spray-paint to write graffiti on the walls."
School officials tell the Marin Independent Journal that the graffiti was found outside some buildings the first time around, with the vandals spray-painting inside a few classrooms the second time they broke in.
McCarthy says most disturbing was the racist nature of the graffiti, prompting the police department to view these break-ins as possible hate crimes. He would not disclose exactly what was written, but a music teacher at the school tells a local newspaper that it was "disgusting."
McCarthy says the campus is closed for the summer break, and he's urging anyone who might have seen something suspicious going on at the school to give them a call and help with the investigation.
