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Modesto Junior College Equine Center Faces Possible Closure Following Theft

MODESTO (CBS13) - It may be the end of the road for the Modesto Junior College Equine Center after a burglar took off with all their equipment.

College officials tell CBS13 that the bold and brazen crime took place in the middle of the day.

"I don't have the equipment to run the class," said Equine Program Coordinator Julie Haynes.

With the fall semester just weeks away, someone broke into their storage locker and stole critical equipment needed for Haynes' 25 students.

"They can't learn what I'm teaching without that equipment," she said.

The criminals cut the lock and had their way. School security believes it was more than one person involved, because they found wheelbarrows scattered in the field. They think a vehicle was also used.

"So they opened the door and field our wheelbarrows with our things, and wheeled it out," said Haynes.

Items that have to be replaced in just a couple of weeks include everything from saddles to riding helmets and even horse blankets. Almost everything was completely stripped from the storage locker.

"It really hurt us tremendously," said Agricultural Dean Mark Anglin.

He says the program was shut down once before because of the economic crisis of 2008. Now that they had the funding, they were hoping to revitalize the program.

"The amount of materials that were taken, the equipment necessary to operate this class would really cause us to most likely have to cancel it again," Anglin said.

School security tells CBS13 that one suspect was last seen running across a nearby field, but no one has been arrested.

School officials estimate the loss is about $4,000.

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