Smart phones stolen at NHP Memorial H.S.

Richard Tedesco

Several smart phones, cash and jewelry were stolen from gym lockers of members of the New Hyde Park Memorial High School varsity and junior varsity football teams during a team practice late last Wednesday afternoon, according to parents of two football players.

New Hyde Park Memorial parents Michele Chamber and Fran Kelnhofer said the iPhones of their sons and other football players were stolen when gym lockers were broken into on Oct. 30.

New Hyde Park Memorial Principal Richard Faccio confirmed last Thursday the school administration and the Nassau County Police Department are investigating the theft of several iPhones and cash.

“We’ve had a theft. We’re investigating and they’re investigating,” Faccio said. “We try to work together to get things taken care of.”

On Tuesday, he said members of the school staff and the police are continuing to investigate the incident. He said individual thefts of smart phones had occurred in the school since he became principal last fall, but said the scale of the Oct. 30 incident was “out of the ordinary.”

Nassau County Police officers responded to reports of the thefts filed by two parents, going to the school at 7:39 a.m. on Thursday morning, according to the police department’s information office.

The police said the gym locker thefts took place between 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Oct. 30. 

Chambers said her son had his smart phone, gold chain and cross and cash stolen. She said last week’s incident was a repeat of a similar theft that occurred last year.

“Last year during the football season my son’s locker and several others were broken into. My son’s iPhone and wallet were stolen. I was extremely disappointed with the lack of response or concern from the administration and coaches,” Chambers said.

She also said she had been told by school officials last year that steps would be taken to prevent future thefts.

“Evidently, this did not happen,” Chambers said. “It is extremely unsettling to know that while my son is practicing with his team that his belongings are not safe.”

Faccio said he was unaware of any similar incidents occurring in the past, but the school has now implemented security measures to avoid future thefts.

“There’s nothing like this that happened last week that’s every occurred,” he said.

Faccio said there would be “disciplinary consequences” taken if there are students or a student involved. 

David Del Santo, vice president of the Sewanhaka Central High School Board of Education, said he thinks the theft was an inside job by students or school staff. 

Del Santo, an inspector in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said he felt certain the thieves would be caught.

“As soon as [the phones] are fired up, they’ll be found. It’s not the smartest thing to steal,” he said. “I’d be shocked if we don’t find who did it.”

Kelnhofer, who was among the parents who notified police about the thefts, said she is convinced the thieves are students at the school. 

“I do feel like it was kids that knew that other kids had those phones,” she said. “They didn’t come in from the outside doors because there’s no way to get into the school that way.”

Kelnhofer said her son’s iPhone 5S was among seven phones stolen. She said she reported the theft because the phone was insured and the insurance company required a police report to process a claim on the phone.

“When he got back from practice, his locker was broken into and the phone was gone,” she said.

Kelnhofer said her son, Scott, told her it looked as though the thieves had broken the combination locks hanging on the lockers with a hammer, dislodging the body of the combination lock from the loop that secures the lock. She also said he told her there were only iPhones and Galaxy phones taken, with some cell phones left in lockers the thieves opened.

She said she was more concerned about the safety of her son and his football teammates.

“The thing that’s more concerning is that they used a tool to break into the lockers,” Kelnhofer said. “What would happen if some kid went to the bathroom and walked in on it? If my son walked in on it, he would have reacted to it.”

Now, she said, she is telling her son to “close your eyes and walk away” if he sees something similar happening – contrary to what she said she’s taught him.

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