Fresno charter school has money and computers stolen

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Teachers at a local charter school that was burglarized over the weekend, are trying to figure out how to fund several field trips after cash, and computers were stolen.

About $1,200 in cash and checks were stolen from New Spirit Charter Academy, along with other items. The money is a considerable amount for the school who operates on minimal means.

Mrs. Karl's second-grade class is working on a Lego project celebrating the first 100 days of school. But the students are also learning a valuable life lesson about character and unexpected hardship after a break in at the school. "The parents are just really heartbroken. The kids are concerned. One of the students said to me, 'Mr. Morris, it takes somebody really low to steal from kids that way'," said Stephen Morris, New Spirit Charter Academy.

Fresno police believe a burglar tossed a rock through the front office window then climbed through it-- never opening the front door. But somehow, the motion sensor never went off, a factor that is puzzling to police. "The alarm company says there was no trip during that period, but there is some information in the report that the power was off, and they went outside and the breaker was off. So it's unknown if the suspect did that to defeat the alarm, that's possible," said Joe Gomez, Fresno Police Department.

When the burglar didn't get anything valuable after prying open a locked filing cabinet the suspect moved on to a safe under a desk.

Investigators believe the campus was burglarized between Sunday night and Monday morning. The thief also got away with at least one Mac Book Pro computer and an $800 camera. The money stolen was set aside for enriching field trips. "We have a big technology emphasis, so there was a trip to San Jose area to look at the tech museum. There was also a trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium. There was a trip to Fresno State that was planned," said

The school does not have any surveillance cameras, although several were donated Monday afternoon.

Campus administrators are hoping police can eventually track down the suspect, with the good clue the suspect left behind-- fingerprints.

School leaders are also looking into getting a fence around the campus.

Teachers are also working on new fundraiser's.