A 46-year-old man, Jared Ian Sumrall, broke into an Ocean Springs Upper Elementary School in Mississippi through a roof exhaust vent on November 9th. He stayed in an attic for a weekend, stealing items from a teacher’s classroom before being arrested on November 12th.
A 46-year-old man, Jared Ian Sumrall, was arrested and charged with breaking into Ocean Springs Upper Elementary School in Mississippi and living in an attic for a weekend.
According to authorities, Sumrall broke into the school on November 9th, a Saturday, and left by Monday morning. He allegedly entered the school through a exhaust vent on the roof and stayed in an attic used by maintenance crews to repair HVAC systems.
The Ocean Springs School District stated that Sumrall never crossed paths with students and that they were not in any danger. “They were not in any danger,” said Trey Brennan, communications director for the district. “We are very confident in that.”
Sumrall is accused of stealing an iPad, chips, gummies, kinetic sand, and Lego toys from a teacher’s classroom. A pair of jeans was also found in one of the school’s sinks.
The break-in set off no security alarms because Sumrall stayed in one building and did not use entrance or exit doors. Police believe Sumrall slept in the attic and briefly walked the halls.
Charges and Consequences
Sumrall faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the commercial burglary charge. The district is still investigating how the suspect reached the roof and what other evidence may be missing.
Incident Details
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Date of break-in: November 9th
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Time of break-in: Saturday evening
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Duration of stay: Weekend (approximately 48 hours)
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Method of entry: Climbed through an exhaust vent on the school’s roof
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Location of stay: Attic used by maintenance crews for HVAC repairs
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Items stolen: iPad, chips, gummies, kinetic sand, and Lego toys from a teacher’s classroom
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Time of discovery: Monday morning
Reaction from Authorities and School District
The Ocean Springs Police Department and the school district have confirmed that students were not in any danger during the incident. The school has since fixed the vent to prevent future unauthorized access.
Sumrall was arrested again on November 12th in Biloxi, after police identified him from the school’s video surveillance. He is being held without bond in the Jackson County jail for commercial burglary.
The Ocean Springs School District Police Department and Ocean Springs Police Department are investigating the incident.
