Superintendent: schools locked out after burglary

Two Rockville Centre schools –– South Side High School and Francis F. Wilson Elementary School –– were locked out for an hour on Oct. 13 after a Shepherd Street home was burglarized in the middle of the day.

The homeowners were out for about 20 minutes between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. When they returned, they found that their home had been broken into, Rockville Centre Police Commissioner Charles Gennario said.

Gennario recommended that both South Side and Wilson be put on lockout out of fear that the suspects could still be in the area. Superintendent Dr. William Johnson agreed and immediately locked out the schools, meaning that no one was permitted to enter them.

“The commissioner called me almost immediately just to give me a heads up,” he said. The lockout “was really precautionary more than anything else.”

The police searched the area both on foot and by helicopter, according to the superintendent. They stayed until school let out for the day and students went home.

There was also an attempted burglary at Surrey Lane on the same day, according to the commissioner, although he was unsure whether the two crimes were related. Further details were not available. So far, no suspects have been found, and police have not identified what was stolen. The commissioner recommended that residents be cautious and keep their houses locked and secure, even if they are away for a short time.