Turlock High locker room robbed

Visiting Los Banos loses cell phones, cash during game

By Patty Guerra
pguerra@modbee.com

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TURLOCK — Police are investigating the theft of phones and other items from the visitors locker room during Thursday night's Pitman-Los Banos football game.

Varsity players from Los Banos returning to the visitors locker room at Turlock High, where Pitman plays its home games, found cash and electronics missing from their gym bags.

Turlock Police Capt. Mike Langston said his department received a report at 10 p.m.

"There were cell phones stolen, an MP3 player and a small amount of cash," he said. "Someone called one of the phones and an unknown person answered, then hung up the phone."

Turlock High was a busy place Thursday night, with the football game and a Turlock-Pitman volleyball match.

Several people, adults and students, had access to the visitors locker room, which can be entered from the gym, said Pitman Principal Rod Hollars.

"The place was pretty well packed," said Hollars, who heard of the break-in Friday afternoon. "I'm just trying to put the pieces together."

Turlock High Principal Dana Trevathan said the campus is equipped with surveillance cameras outside the locker room, but they don't work at night.

"There's no visibility after daylight hours, so we can't see anyone entering or leaving who wasn't supposed to be there," she said.

The doors to the locker room lock when closed, but people were holding them open for one another during the sports events, Hollars said. Staff members are on hand during athletic events and watch over the locker rooms, he said, but it is difficult to keep an eye on everything when there are so many people around.

Hollars, a longtime Turlock High coach and administrator, said he always cautioned his players not to bring anything valuable in their gym bags.

He suspects the thieves are kids, especially because somebody answered the stolen phone when it rang.

"I'm glad there wasn't more in there to take," he said.

Langston said his department is investigating and trying to track down the stolen items.

"We do have officers on campus during the game, but they're out on the field to keep the peace," he said.

Bee staff writer Patty Guerra can be reached at pguerra@modbee.com or 578-2343.