Three Festus R-6 summer school students have been accused of stealing items at Festus High School.
At 3 p.m. June 5, Festus Police were called to the school, 501 Westwind Drive, after district staff determined that three 15-year-old boys allegedly had stolen autographed footballs, lanyards, energy drinks and candy from a room in the school, Festus Police Chief Tim Lewis said.
“The autographed footballs are used for fundraising raffles,” he said.
Lewis said school personnel had been looking for the students because they reportedly were cutting class. After that, authorities learned the students allegedly had stolen the items.
“All of the items taken were retrieved,” he said.
The students were turned over to juvenile authorities, Lewis said.
Festus R-6 School District Superintendent Link Luttrell said the students, who attended Festus Middle School last school year, did not physically break into the room but allegedly stole items out of it.
“They were in an area they had no business being in,” Luttrell said. “All of this was discovered by the end of the school day.”