ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Vandals seemingly went on a rampage. They left more than $100,000 in damage at the Albuquerque Bilingual Academy Sunday afternoon.
School officials said the damage extends across four buildings, forcing more than 300 students into remote learning for the week.
Surveillance video, captured Sunday afternoon, shows five vandals breaking into the charter school.
“We had a minor alarm notification for a sensor at 4 o’clock, and we had a fire alarm that was triggered by a fire extinguisher at about 7 o’clock or so, at which point AFD and APD responded, but any vandals or suspects were already gone at that point,” said Albuquerque Bilingual Academy Operations Director Kyle Hunt.
While the vandals had already fled long before authorities got to the scene, they left their mark.
“They were able to access four of our seven buildings including this brand new gym that we had just completed construction on in 2022. This is brand new flooring that cost over $100,000 to install and most likely it is destroyed from the paint,” added Hunt.
From splattered paint and graffiti to broken windows, smashed musical instruments, and smart boards, school officials said it’s a devastating loss for the kids. While the K-8 academy does have an insurance policy, the repairs will cost upwards of $150,000, but school officials said the cost goes beyond just money.
“I think they need to realize that they are affecting a lot of people with their actions and that this just isn’t senseless fun for them to destroy anything. It’s affecting tons of families across New Mexico within their own neighborhoods and families themselves,” Hunt said.
They hope to have students back in the classroom by next Tuesday for the last couple of weeks of school. The academy said it will be revamping and upgrading its security.
