Thieves steal Puyallup school’s instruments

PUYALLUP, Wash. – The principal of a school in Puyallup said thieves have stolen $10,000 worth of musical instruments and electronics.

Principal Craig Mattson of Northwest Christian School said a look at surveillance video of the thieves loading the items into an older white pickup truck brought him up short.

KING-TV reported that the principal said he earlier gave five gallons of gas to a woman driving that same truck who came to the school during a weekend festival, asking to borrow some fuel.

Mattson said someone apparently stayed behind after Sunday’s festival and waited until early Monday to let the other thieves inside.

They stole at least 20 instruments, boxes of bells and chimes, a teacher’s laptop computer and a flat-screen television from the hallway.

Mattson said, “That’s pretty devastating to know you put gas in the truck that robbed you.”