FORT MYERS, Fla. — Staff at Impact for Developmental Education arrived Tuesday morning to find shattered glass covering their preschool floors and critical equipment missing after burglars broke into the facility that serves children with disabilities.
The break-in forced the cancellation of classes at the school, which provides specialized services for children ages 3-6 with developmental delays, autism and other disabilities.
"When staff got here this morning, they discovered that the front door was busted open. All the glass was gone, and the front door on the building next door, same thing, all the glass was gone," said Maxine Gibbs, executive director of the preschool.
Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report:
What Was Stolen:
The burglars made off with multiple laptops, including one used by children during morning activities and two from the back office. They also pried open locked desk drawers and file cabinets, stealing cash payments from parents and checks, including memorial donations.
"We have some parents are private pay, and so they give us cash at the beginning of the week or the middle of the week when they can afford to pay," Gibbs explained. Among the stolen items were donation checks given in memory of the board president's recently deceased wife, whose family had requested contributions to the school in lieu of flowers.
The thieves also rifled through student files, scattering papers across desks and floors, though it's unclear if any confidential documents were taken.
Impact on Families:
The break-in particularly affects families who depend on the school's specialized therapeutic services. Impact for Developmental Education provides occupational, speech and physical therapists who work daily with children who are nonverbal, have mobility challenges or other developmental delays.
"We don't want any disruptions for that population, and this was very disrupting this morning," Gibbs said, noting that parents arriving for drop-off were surprised and devastated to see police at the school.
Many parents had to scramble for alternative childcare arrangements, creating additional stress for families already managing complex needs.
Investigation Underway:
A security camera captured limited footage of a suspect wearing a hoodie and carrying a backpack, but only showed the person from behind. Gibbs says police collected fingerprints and other evidence from the scene.
Fort Myers Police tells me no one is in custody at the time. It is an active investigation.
"It was the back of the guy. All we saw was a hoodie and he had a backpack on," Gibbs said.
Gibbs continued saying she believes the burglars also removed a security camera that had been positioned over one of the doors, leaving it on the ground inside the building.
School Hopes to Reopen
Despite the extensive damage and cleanup required, school officials are working to reopen on Wednesday or even Thursday. The biggest concern is ensuring all glass fragments are removed from areas where children play and learn.
"Everything is at the height of the kids, and their hands are everywhere and their bottoms are everywhere. So we want to make sure that we get all this glass up and away before they come back in the building," Gibbs said.
The school is asking parents for patience as they work to restore the safe learning environment their students require.
Fort Myers police are continuing their investigation into the burglary.
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