The Glendale Police Department confirms that early in the morning on March 22, three boys broke into Clark Magnet and Crescenta Valley, continuing their spree of plundering GUSD schools in pursuit of cash and other valuables. This follows the first public news report of this group breaking and entering Keppel Elementary and Toll Middle School on Saturday, March 12, with crowbars and hammers, causing $20,000 worth of damages as they searched for valuables to run off with.

According to a police spokesperson, the teens were later identified through social media posts and a tip received by the Glendale police. On Thursday, March 25, detectives had obtained the warrants to search the residences of the three marauders; the garments they wore during their thievery spree — which were caught on footage — were found; two were arrested — Christian Padilla, age 19, and another unidentified minor, age 17.

Their cohort subsequently turned himself in to the Glendale Police Department the next day, and was also charged with possession of tobacco as a minor, according to an article in the LA Times.

“I think it’s unfortunate that someone would do something like that,” said Crescenta Valley junior Genevieve Gonzales. “Why would they even try to rob a school? What would they get out of that? They just embarrassed themselves — their plan wasn’t too smart. All they did was damage property and for what? Nothing.”

“Why would anyone try to steal from Clark? There are security cameras anywhere. They’re always watching us, did these guys think they were exempted from that? Like, seriously, they track us, from our social media accounts to our every footstep on campus. They couldn’t steal anything from here, anyways, because there’s nothing to steal,” said an anonymous Clark sophomore.

“To be honest, I feel violated as a person who lives here for eight to ten hours a day. I feel violated for myself, for my students, the faculty and the entire clark family,” said teacher Amir Ghavam. “It’s sad that someone would do something like that.”

Counselor Susan Howe said that the thieves did not take very much, unlike at the other schools. But she has strong opinions on the robberies committed by the three teams. “I think it’s disgusting that people try to steal from a school,” Howe said. ”They don’t know that that hinders the people at the school based on what they’ve stolen.”
A source, who wished to remain unnamed, said that the perpetrators had walked by the $3 million worth of equipment located in the 5200 wing, the location of the engineering, cinematography and photography rooms. Instead, they targeted the PE area, where they only found gym clothes. They ended up not stealing much.