Police continue hunt for thief of GMUHS class gift; donations, reward offered

Chester Police continue to run down clues in search of the thief who stole a 65-inch flat screen TV from Green Mountain Union High School late last Thursday night.

The screen, valued at $1,000, was the gift from the Class of 2016, which graduated in June. It had a arrived at the school that day and remained in its box ready to be mounted, when the theft occurred just before midnight. Video of the incident shows a lanky person covered head to toe pushing the box toward the auditorium.

GM facilities manager Brendan McNamara said Tuesday, that after discussions with Principal Tom Ferenc, the school has agreed offer a $300 reward for the safe return of the TV as well as information that will lead to the arrest of the thief.

And The Telegraph’s article on the theft, published last Friday and posted on Facebook, prompted one reader to offer to replace the TV as a donation from his company. Robert McIntyre of Hudson, N.H., owner of New England Signs and Awnings, had made the offer on The Telegraph’s Facebook page, where the story was reposted more than 200 times and viewed by close to 14,000.

McIntyre told The Telegraph on Tuesday that a friend had referred him to the article. McIntyre said that although he now lives in New Hampshire, he has deep local ties. He said he grew up in Ludlow, went to school at Green Mountain temporarily, and has family in Weston, Springfield and Ascutney. He called the theft “so disrespectful.”

In another development, Jason Rickles, advisor for the Class of 2016, which bought the TV, has set up a Go Fund Me page to replace it. The TV was going to be mounted last week to display daily announcements and school news in the gallery area of the main entrance.

Chester Police urge anyone with information about this incident to call them at 875-2035.