Police arrested a transient who they suspect broke into a classroom of Caswell Elementary School early Wednesday, Aug. 17 and stole drinks from a vending machine he broke.

Ceres Police Officer Alex Ochoa responded to a 4:40 a.m. alarm call at the elementary school and found the front window of Room 28 was shattered. Also broken was the glass window on the vending machine inside with several drinks taken. The rest of the classroom appeared to be undisturbed.  Officers searched for a suspect but did not locate anyone.

An employee of the school was called to secure the classroom and stated that the damage to the window was about $1,500 and the damage to the vending machine was about $2,000.

A short time later, at approximately 5:16 a.m., Officer Ross Bays found 35-year-old Modesto transient John Robert McClure in the commercial area of Central Avenue and Evans Road across the street from Caswell School. McClure, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, had a backpack containing bolt cutters, a hatchet and 25 vending machine drinks that were still cold. Certain that McClure committed the crime, Officer Bays made the arrest and booked him for burglary and possession of burglary tools.

McClure denied burglarizing the school.