Shelton couple arrested in connection with Steamboat Island preschool thefts

Two people were arrested Thursday in connection with the burglary reported July 10 at Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

A Shelton couple in their 30s is suspected of stealing children’s toys among other items while the preschool was closed for the summer.

A police report was filed last week after a teacher entered the empty building and noticed several items were missing.

““It’s already a lot of work to make this (the preschool) work,” Board President Kelly Magnusson told The Olympian earlier this week. “It’s a really sad thing that someone would go after a co-op.”

The preschool, a non-profit that relies heavily on parent volunteers, set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for replacement toys before school begins again in the fall.

The page had raised $1,420 of its $1,500 goal as of Friday, and remains open for donations. It has been shared 230 times on Facebook.

“We are a non-profit preschool, encouraging learning through exploration, play and social interaction,” the page reads. “We are incredibly grateful to all our parent-volunteers and community support throughout this dismal event.”

This story was originally published July 20, 2018 at 8:41 AM.