THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CORRECTED AND EXPANDED; PREVIOUS REPORTS OF MOSTLY CANDY BEING TAKEN WERE NOT CORRECT, AND MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT WAS TAKEN HAS BEEN ADDED.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Hungry youngsters are believed to be behind the weekend burglary of a local school.

The Lakeport Police Department received a report early Monday that Terrace Middle School's kitchen area had been ransacked.

A school employee found the evidence of a break-in shortly before 5:30 a.m., and Officer Jim Bell took the report.

Bell said the suspects appear to have pried open a side window to gain entry. They then used paper and plastic bags to cover a window while they were inside.

They ransacked and emptied a cappuccino machine – tossing coffee powder all over the place, he said.

Based on details supplied to Bell by the school, the suspects took 20 fruit snacks, 24 cereal bars, 12 whole grain Pop Tarts, numerous frozen yogurts, eight cans of juice, about 20 bags of baked chips, 10 packs of chile picante and 5 pounds of lunch meat.

A two-way radio stolen from the site later was found, Bell said.

He said he found a few footprints on the stainless steel counters, and also got some smudgy fingerprints.

Bell said he's sure that children are behind the caper.

“It wasn't a professional hit, that's for sure,” he said.

Although he can't be sure exactly when the burglary happened over the weekend, Bell pointed out that homecoming for the nearby Clear Lake High School took place on Friday night, with the homecoming dance on the following evening.

After the burglary was reported Monday, Bell said he did a quick sweep through the Terrace Middle School campus, which is located next to Lakeport Elementary and Clear Lake High School on Lange Street.

“It's amazing to me that these kids did not leave a trail,” he said.

Anyone with information on possible suspects should call Bell at the Lakeport Police Department, 707-263-5491.

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