Police seek city's help in finding Richmond school vandals
By Suzanne Bohan
Contra Costa Times
Posted:   02/14/2012 04:17:59 PM PST
Updated:   02/14/2012 04:17:59 PM PST

Richmond police are asking for the community's help in finding the vandals who on Sunday destroyed the interior of a new Richmond elementary school building.
"We can really only do our job well when the community tells us what they've seen," Capt. Mark Gage said. The city is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the vandals.
The vandals damaged every room in the new multipurpose building at Nystrom Elementary School, which holds a gym, library, computer center and large kitchen. They smeared paint on windows, floors and walls, smashed some 30 windows and spread epoxy on surfaces. They also broke a valve on a water heater, which gushed water throughout the building and caused extensive damage. The initials "DJ" were painted on one wall.
"Every inch of that building was a crime scene," Gage said.
He said he was nearly speechless during his first tour of the building.
Flooding caused the most damage, followed by the destruction of interior work such as walls, floors and wood finishes, said Lance Jackson, senior vice president with SGI Construction Management, which built the structure on South Harbor Way.
The repair estimate runs "hundreds of thousands of dollars," Jackson said.
A more precise estimate is expected in a week or two once the extent of water damage is known. The walls will need to be replaced if water seeped inside and soaked insulation.
Jackson said it will be at least six to eight weeks before the building is ready for use. It was weeks from opening before the vandals forced their way in by breaking a window Sunday.
Police would not speculate on a possible motive. Anyone with information about the crime should call the Richmond Police Department at 510-233-1214.
Contact Suzanne Bohan at 510-262-2789.