Dozens Of Students' Cars Vandalized During Their Senior Ball

OAKLAND (KPIX 5) – When College Park High School students in Pleasant Hill returned from Senior Ball Saturday night they discovered dozens of their cars had been vandalized in the school parking lot.

The crime has put a damper on what should have been a night of celebration.

Despite the "park at own risk" signs on the school grounds, students say the school administration told them to park there before boarding a charter bus to Oakland for their Senior Ball.

"Our cars were parked at Senior Ball in the parking lot and they were broken into as you can see in the picture," said one student.

"When I got off the bus, it was like mayhem and I was like what's going on?" said another s

Another student said the driver's side window of his car was smashed. He said it was actually the second time it has happened in the same school parking lot.

"Got my car fixed today, came out of my parents own paycheck," said a student. "There was a call sent out saying this is where you are supposed to park."

Pleasant Hill police reported 37 auto burglaries between 6 p.m. and midnight.

"I saw a bunch of cars, windows were smashed, people were crying. Banging their heads on their cars. And it was just really sad," said another student.

The school says they do have some surveillance video and are working on leads from witnesses.

College Park High School Principal Joe Alvarez said, "The reason we do the bus is to help ensure the safety and security of our students. So we get them there safely and we get back safely, and to come back and see that, is nothing fun at all. It was very emotional."

Monday is usually senior skip day and students usually head to the beach, but this time many students headed to auto body shops to get repairs.

Pleasant Hill police say there are some leads.

The school said someone has donated $1,000 for a reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of whoever vandalized the students' cars.