Miami-Dade Schools Police are investigating after vandals broke into a Liberty City school and destroyed 10 air conditioning units to steal the material, police said.
The burglary happened overnight Tuesday at Lenora B. Smith Elementary, police said. Students are currently on spring break.
"It's not like they're meticulously, surgically removing copper wire. They're destroying these units for the material," said Lt. Raul Correa, with Miami-Dade Schools Police.
It's the second time in as many days that thieves have hit the school, targeting the copper components.
A total of 16 cooling units worth $4,000 each have been rendered useless, Correa said.
"We've taken measures to protect these AC units. Those are the fencing you see around the AC units. So we're going to do everything we can to make sure these schools are safe and the AC units are protected," he said.
Many of the cages sat empty as crews spent Tuesday tearing out the damaged goods and hauling it away. Others installed new security systems but more than 50 percent of the school is now a hot box.
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"The community needs to know that you victimize a school, you're hurting our kids. And that's what's really upsetting," Correa said.
And while police ask for the public's help tracking down the people responsible, crews will continue to repair, rebuild, and replace the much needed school appliances.
"We're doing our very best to make sure these AC units are up and running by Monday, March 30th, when school's back in session," Correa said.
