Vandals trash school sites in Millstone Twp.
State police continue to investigate three separate incidents
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

The New Jersey State Police are still searching for the perpetrators who vandalized school buses and construction equipment at the new school site in Millstone.

On June 28, vandals broke the glass on every construction vehicle at the site of the new middle school on Baird Road, according to Millstone Schools Superintendent William Setaro. On July 11, he said, 17 windows were “blown out” of vehicles parked in the elementary school lot. Also, he said, someone dropped seven bluefish on the front walk of the current middle school last week.

At the July 25 Board of Education meeting, Setaro said he did not know whether the incidents are related, but that all the events have been reported to the state police.

“I am quite annoyed,” Setaro said. “This is a quiet community of residential homeowners who value their properties. I can’t find words to describe why anyone would do this kind of damage. It’s senseless.”

Setaro said the damage would cost taxpayers money and his employees time. The incidents, he said, will force the school “to go to a higher level of security when its resources are spread thin.”

Now the lights are left on all night at the schools, which Setaro said the neighbors do not like.

“I would rather pay the electric bill than pay for new windows,” he said.

According to Setaro, the police lifted fingerprints from the crime scenes. He said when the vandals are caught, they will be prosecuted to the maximum extent of the law, and that this sort of behavior will not be tolerated by the community.

Board President Kathy Winecoff said she spoke to Mayor Elias Abilheira, asking him to contact the state police and request more patrols in the area.

Business Administrator Brian Boyle said the cost of the damage is still being tallied and that the board hoped to have the monetary figures this week.

Boyle said that in both cases of vandalism, the Crime Scene Investigation Unit was called in.

Detective Michael Rosica of the state police barracks in Hamilton said the cases are still pending.

Anyone with information regarding the vandalism should contact the state police at (609) 584-5000.