Students arrested for breaking into school

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 17, 2009

NATCHEZ — Two Natchez High School students were arrested Monday, and charged with burglary for allegedly breaking into the school’s library on Friday.

Natchez Police Sgt. Craig Godbold said Justin A. Mitchell, 18, and another student, who is a minor, were called from class Monday, arrested and charged with burglary of a building.

Cleveland Moore, the school’s assistant principal, said the burglary was not discovered until Monday morning.

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“I think they used a crowbar,” he said pointing at a broken window on the library’s door.

Moore said once the window was broken, the perpetrators were able reach through the window to open the door.

NHS librarian Sandra Peoples said, prior to the arrests, she believed the burglars knew exactly what they were looking for.

While the library is filled with computers and other valuable electronics, only money from the cash drawer was stolen.

“That’s the only thing they took,” Peoples said.

Peoples said approximately $150 was taken.

Godbold said both students confessed to the burglary during questioning.

And Godbold said neither student was hard to find since they were also captured on the school’s surveillance cameras.

Godbold said Mitchell was released on bond and the minor student was turned over to his parents.