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Former Custodial Supervisor Charged With High School Thefts

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Police have charged a former custodial staff supervisor at Newtown High School

with third-degree larceny, alleging that he stole several thousand dollars

worth of equipment and material from the school between June and August.

Police said they charged Emilio Santos, 31, of Waterbury on a warrant

September 10 lodging one count of third-degree larceny, a Class D felony

involving the theft of between $1,000 and $5,000 of property.

Police said Santos surrendered to them after learning they had a warrant for

his arrest stemming from their investigation into his alleged theft of the

items. Santos was released from police custody on a $500 cash bond for a

September 21 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Police Detective Sergeant Henry Stormer said Monday police executed a search

warrant at Santos' home in early August and recovered items valued at several

thousand dollars which had been reported stolen from the high school.

Items stolen included electronic devices such as a computer, television and

video cassette recorder, plus clothing and building supplies, according to Det

Stormer.

School Superintendent John Reed said Monday that after learning that items

were missing from the high school, school officials conducted an internal

investigation involving the interview of janitorial staff members.

After developing information on the missing goods, school officials turned the

case over to police, Dr Reed said.

"They [police] did their own series of investigations and interviews," he

said. Dr Reed said he is pleased that the police investigation resulted in an

arrest and the recovery of stolen goods.

Santos, who had worked for the schools for about two years, was an overnight

shift supervisor of several janitors at the high school. Santos resigned his

janitorial position after police executed the search warrant in early August,

Dr Reed said.

Police recovered 12 items including a video camera, warm-up jackets and pants,

a football jersey, carpeting squares, a computer, a hard drive, computer

manuals, remote controls, a keyboard, and electrical cords, he said. Still

missing from the high school are a 32-inch diameter color television monitor

and a video cassette recorder, according to Dr Reed.

Of the thefts, Dr Reed said "These were taken from locked, secure areas." Some

of the goods had been delivered to the school but had yet to be unpacked, he

added.

Students at the high school are held to high standards concerning theft, Dr

Reed said. So it is equally important to hold adults there to such high

standards, he added. Dr Reed said that it is unfortunate that thefts occur,

but when they do, they must be prosecuted to set an example.