Allegedly high on meth, burglar entered school through the roof

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e burglary at Littleton High School on May 19 was allegedly committed by a woman who wandered into the school through an unlocked hatch on the roof after inhaling methamphetamine, according to police documents.

According to the arrest a davit, 33-year-old Christine Ward told police she saw people following her after inhaling meth early on the morning of May 19. She stumbled upon the high school when attempting to ee from the people following her.

She allegedly wanted to enter the building to steal items to use as a disguise from the people following her, the a davit says.

After encountering several locked doors, she allegedly climbed onto the roof and entered the building through a latched — but unlocked — hatch, according to o cials.

In an email to Colorado Community Media, Littleton Public Schools communications manager Nicole Moyer said maintenance personnel left ladder and hatch locks unse- cured, but the district does not know if an employee or an outside contractor made this error.

When police arrested Ward, she was wearing a black wig she had allegedly stolen from the building and had various other stolen items, according to their report. O cials said the total value of the stolen items is about $200.

Ward was charged with seconddegree burglary, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft, according to the arrest a davit.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, burglary is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.

“ at’s why it was second-degree burglary, because she did break into the school, and then theft because it was pretty petty, minor,” said Littleton Police spokesperson Sheera Poelman.

Poelman said the Littleton Police Department searched and cleared the entire building twice before declaring it safe.

“We never want to assume anything when it comes to the safety of (Littleton Public Schools) students, sta , and the Littleton community as ce assisted the responders with a K-9 unit and the Englewood Police Department also helped on the scene, Poelman said. e district informed maintenance personnel and contractors to double-check all hatches and ladders after completion of maintenance in the future, Moyer wrote. She said checks of these locks will be part of regular security sweeps going

Ward appeared in Arapahoe County District Court for an advisement hearing on May 20. Her case was set for a formal ling of charges on May 25, court executive Shaun Clark wrote in an email to Colorado Community Media.

Ward failed to appear in court on May 25 and a warrant has been issued for her arrest, Clark wrote.