Early Sunday morning in Citrus Heights, a few minutes was all it took for thieves to clean out a San Juan High School boosters' fireworks stand, walking off with about $13,000 in merchandise and leaving parents and volunteers reeling.
The break-in hit a temporary sales booth near Arcadia Drive and Greenback Lane between 6:45 a.m. and 7:20 a.m., while a private security guard briefly stepped away. School leaders say the loss could wipe out much of the boosters' expected summer fundraising.
In a post on Facebook, the school said someone "broke into the fireworks stand and took approximately $13,000.00 worth of fireworks," and asked anyone with information to come forward. According to The Sacramento Bee, the fireworks were being sold by the school's boosters as a short, high-stakes fundraiser. The post said the group was "hoping boosters doesn't run a loss" after the theft.
Police: Investigation Ongoing
Officers canvassed the scene and determined the fireworks had been secured the previous night at about 8:30 p.m., The Sacramento Bee reported. Citrus Heights police told the paper they received the report at about 2:26 p.m. Sunday, and as of Monday investigators had not identified any suspects. Detectives asked anyone with video or tips from the area to contact them.
Boosters Left Scrambling
Temporary fireworks booths are a major source of cash for school booster clubs, and similar thefts have wiped out other local groups' summer fundraisers, including a Gold River school that lost a large shipment, as reported by KCRA. Citrus Heights officials have warned residents about illegal fireworks and stepped-up enforcement ahead of the holiday, per the Citrus Heights Sentinel, underscoring the security and safety pressures on volunteer-run stands.
For booster groups that operate on thin margins, one overnight loss like this can mean canceled programs and unpaid bills once the holiday smoke clears.
How To Help
Anyone with information or video is asked to contact Citrus Heights Police at 916-727-5500 or the department's crime tip line at 916-727-5524, per the city's Police Department page. The school's Facebook post also urged witnesses to come forward if they saw anything near Arcadia and Greenback that morning. The boosters said they will update the community as police investigate.
