RACINE - Several burglaries at Racine Unified schools within the past month don't appear to be connected to last fall's rash of break-ins, according to Racine police.

Police spokesman Sgt. Bernie Kupper said investigators also don't think the recent burglaries can be linked to any one person or group.

On the morning of Nov. 16, police were called to Jerstad-Agerholm Elementary School, 3535 LaSalle St., after three Apple computers were stolen from a classroom.

Police believe the burglar gained entrance to the building through a window near the east side of the playground. The window screen had been cut and the window pried open.

This latest break-in occurred less than two weeks after police arrested a teen for a burglary at Wadewitz Elementary School. Officers were called to the school, 2700 Yout St., at 9:40 p.m. Nov. 4 for a burglary alarm sounding. When they arrived they spoke with a school custodian, who told them he had seen one suspect entering the school through an open window and chased after him, but did not catch him.

The custodian brought police to the open window and they found Remon Tyson, 17, leaning on the window, reports said. Tyson was arrested and taken to the Racine County Jail. The initial suspect in the burglary was not located.

According to police reports, this was the third time Wadewitz had been broken into recently.

Officers were called to the school on Oct. 23 after a teacher discovered a projector, desktop computer and laptop cord had been taken from her classroom. Reports said a small window to the room was broken out to gain entry.

In the report regarding the Oct. 23 break-in, police noted that the same teacher's classroom had previously been burglarized with electronics taken.

During a rash of school break-ins, 68 computers were stolen from Giese, Wadewitz and Jerstad-Agerholm elementary schools and McKinley Middle School between September and October of last year. The loss is estimated at more than $60,000.

Darnell Collins, 45, of 1418 Geneva St. was arrested and convicted of an October burglary at Red Apple School, 914 St. Patrick St., in which a computer was stolen from an office. He was never charged with any of the other crimes, and Kupper said police do not believe he was tied to the other school break-ins.

School officials implemented extra security measures last fall during the rash of burglaries. District spokesman Paul Holley said they are aware of the more recent break-ins and are asking school staff and the community to be vigilant in reporting any suspicious activities near school grounds.