Suspects from out-of-town were recently arrested for their alleged involvement in the defacement of property and facilities at Poplarville High School.
Sometime after midnight on Feb. 7, a number of suspects broke into the Poplarville Career Development Center and damaged some of the vending machines, Poplarville Police Chief Butch Raby said.
The suspects also broke into the concession stands at the football and softball fields where they allegedly stole drinks and candy before destroying all of the windows, glass and other equipment, Raby said.
Afterward, they broke into the high school gym, destroyed machines and other equipment in the locker room, discharged a fire extinguisher around the room and destroyed the concession stand inside the gym, Raby said.
Thousands of dollars worth of damage was assessed as a result of that incident. The night of March 15, the suspects allegedly returned to break into the principal’s office and steal several items, including Principal Jonathan Will’s state championship ring, Raby said.
The suspects also destroyed property in the cafeteria, stealing change out of the cash register and spilling soda on the floor, Raby said.
In other offices on campus, the suspects took cash and wrote “PRC Rules,” on the walls and computer screens in what Raby called an attempt to throw off the investigation.
After several weeks of investigation, the department arrested three adults and four juveniles who live in Stone County on March 23, Raby said.
One of the juveniles attends Poplarville High School, he said.
Surveillance camera footage was used in the investigation, but Raby said the suspects were wearing masks and gloves to conceal their identity. Through “old fashioned police work,” the department was able to identify and apprehend seven suspects.
The three adults arrested for the incident were Jacob Andrews Swaggerty, 18, of 61 K Smith Road, Wiggins; William Peyton Loper, 19, of 61 K Smith Road, Wiggins; and Brendon Tyler Sherman, 18, of 19018 Shaw Road, Saucier, Raby said.
All three adult suspects were arrested for four counts of commercial burglary and four counts conspiracy to commit burglary, Raby said.
Their bonds were set at $56,000 and have since bonded out, he said.
Two juveniles were charged with eight counts of conspiracy to commit burglary and eight counts of commercial burglary. Two other juveniles were arrested for four counts of conspiracy to commit burglary and four counts of commercial burglary, Raby said.
The juveniles were sent to a detention center, Raby said.
Investigators are still searching for the stolen state championship ring, Raby said.
Anyone with information about the location of the ring is asked to call the department at 601-795-4447.