Community center in El Mirage targeted by burglars; thousands of dollars in electronics stolen

EL MIRAGE, Ariz. - Thousands of dollars worth of electronics were reportedly stolen when the Dysart Community Center in El Mirage was broken into over the weekend.

"They just took everything," said the community center's executive director, Annie Ansell. "I arrived Monday morning for work and the glass was broken all over the sidewalk."

The thieves tried to cover their tracks. Not only did they take tablets used by kids to do school work, but they also got away with the server that holds the community center's surveillance video.

Besides the 40 tablets that were reportedly stolen, thieves also took four laptops, two desktops, printers and two cameras.

Detectives with the El Mirage Police Department believe the break-in happened sometime between Saturday and Monday morning. The items stolen valued at more than $7,000, and they were taken from the center that primarily serves an underprivileged community.

"It's a very underprivileged community. They definitely got hit harder by the pandemic. Many of their parents lost jobs. Many of them live with grandparents who do not speak English," said Ansell.

Ansell says the burglary comes as a shock as the community center has served the area for over 60 years without similar incidents. Ansell says whoever did this didn't just steal from them, but from the kids.

"The tablets were specifically for our STEM Lab, and for children who we know have no computer access. They sometimes will park in our parking lot to do homework," said Ansell.

Evidence has been collected but no arrests have been made. Meanwhile, anyone with information should call El Mirage Police at 623-500-3000.