SAN ANTONIO – Lytle ISDs is struggling to keep things functioning after 15 district vehicles had their catalytic converters stolen.
School clubs, campus inventory deliveries, staff trainings, and campus maintenance all are being hindered.
“We don’t have any fleet vehicles that we can send any district personnel out to for any events that they might have on the schedule. Then, for out maintenance guys and my department that puts us in a bind. We’re not able to get out throughout the district to service the facilities whether we have a pluming leak or an electrical issue,” William Cross, director of operations for Lytle ISD said.
Cross said student transportation to and from school won’t be affected because only one bus was hit in the theft. The district currently only has two day to day vehicles still in service, one for maintenance and one for staff transportation.
“Of course it’s difficult to carry a lot of tools when you’re on foot,” Cross said.
According to Lytle Police Department Chief Richard Priest, a gate next to the operations yard where the vehicles are parked was left unlocked. The gate gave the suspect access to the back of the operations yard where they cut through the wire fence.
The thief was there roughly three hours, from about 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., the chief said.
“The fella that broke in, it looks like one person, Anglo male, small build. This was not like a crime of opportunity, this is something the person knew what they planned on doing,” he said.
Lytle district officials said the total cost in damages is unknown, because the cost of each vehicle repair will vary. Cross believes it’ll come out to tens of thousands of dollars.
