PEORIA, AZ — An ex-con serving as a contract employee at a school district is arrested for stealing computers from an elementary school.
Peoria police report that on February 19, Sundance Elementary School near 67th and Peoria avenues was burglarized.
Police learned that 29 laptop computers, two safes, and two credit cards were stolen. Their estimated value is about $15,000. Police say the suspect, later identified as 45-year-old Garth Edward Price, entered a code disabling the school's alarm system.
Video surveillance shows that Price allegedly tried to use the credit cards at two locations, the Desert Diamond Casino and a QT. At the QT, police were able to get video of the vehicle and trace it to Price.
Price, police say, is an employee of Copper State Fire Protection, which is contracted by the school district to service the fire alarm systems. Price was recently removed from this assignment because he was unable to get a fingerprint clearance card.
According to the Arizona Department of Corrections website, Price served four years in prison for car theft.
He has been charged with several crimes including burglary and attempted trafficking in stolen property.
