Administrators at Stoneham High School in Massachusetts reported that up to $8,000 worth of sports equipment was stolen during an alumni event that took place on Tuesday. The stolen items included football helmets, jerseys, and practice shorts, which were all taken from the old Stoneham High School building that is currently being demolished. Stoneham Superintendent David A. Ljungberg expressed disappointment and alarm at the theft.
The old campus was closed two weeks prior to the event in order to make way for a new building that is set to open next fall. The district organized the event as a farewell to the old building, allowing around 400 alumni and their guests to tour the premises one last time. Despite the front door to the athletic rooms being locked, individuals were able to access the equipment through an unlocked back door by navigating through back rooms. The stolen sports gear, some of it new, was in sealed and labeled boxes that were cut open. It remains unclear whether the culprits were alumni.
The stolen equipment was intended for use by student athletes in the upcoming school year. Ljungberg suspects that the initial perpetrators might have known that the room was not meant to be accessed, but subsequent individuals who entered the area likely did not realize that they were not supposed to be there. The school is collaborating with Stoneham police and reviewing surveillance footage from inside the room to identify the thieves. Ljungberg mentioned that a decision regarding pressing charges has not been made yet, as the school’s primary focus is on recovering the stolen equipment rather than punishing those responsible.