‘They’re stealing from kids’: Five break-ins in a week at school

By Michelle Bandur

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — A Del Paso Heights couple who runs a school for lower-income students says they won’t let five break-ins in one week stop them from giving their students an education.

This week, someone broke into the More Life Christian Academy near Grand Avenue and Fell Street multiple times, even twice Saturday morning.

Pastor Richard Willoughby has been able to follow the thief’s footsteps.

He said they found a hole in the fence, a broken water line and brick thrown through the kitchen window.

“Guess he was standing on the water line, and he broke the water line,” Willoughby said.

He believes the same burglar damaged and stole property five times this week. They also found the shed lock smashed and items missing.

“We had some equipment, so microscopes for the kids, power tool,” he said.

Someone also took the lawn mower and weed eater.

Richard and Tammi Willoughby are spending their own retirement savings teaching children in grades K-12 in the sanctuary of their church.

“They’re stealing from kids,” said Tammi Willoughby.

The couple is helping 125 students who may not have been successful in other schools.

Of one graduating class of 14, nine students went on to study at Sacramento State University.

“We recognize that putting kids in the right environment will help them learn,” said Richard Willoughby.

Last year, they said someone stole nearly 50 computers and Saturday morning, a burglar grabbed the seven they had left.

“Somebody just took it. They did it calculating. They knew about the computers. They knew it,” said Tammi Willoughby.

Their alarm woke the couple early Saturday to the broken kitchen window and Willoughby said on the camera app, he saw a man standing in the sanctuary.

They called 911 and said they waited an hour for police but ended up going home, knowing an employee would be in the church in an hour.

That’s when they think the thief struck the fifth time and swiped the computers.

“We think he came back in after we had left and the seven computers were gone,” Richard Willoughby said.

The Willoughby’s live by their faith and know despite the setback, will still be able to teach their lessons with one subject of forgiveness.

They prayed for the thief at Sunday service.

“I said, ‘Lord, the person who broke into this church, we pray for them as well,’ because they may be doing something out of desperation because they have a need as well.”

Their priority now is to make sure their students want to return to learn.

“We’re going to make sure that they’re safe. Because this place is a safe place,” said Tammi Willoughby. “It’s a safe place for them to grow. It breaks my heart because I don’t ever want my students to feel like they’re not safe.”

Sacramento police are investigating. In the meantime, the family is accepting donations for the school, which is a nonprofit. Check out their GoFundMe.

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