ISLE OF WIGHT

Several buses for five schools in northern Isle of Wight County ran late Monday morning because someone damaged their tires over the weekend.

The vandalism was discovered by drivers who reported at 6 a.m. to Smithfield High School to begin their runs. They found that 18 of 21 buses parked at the school over the weekend had been vandalized, said Katherine Goff, spokeswoman for the county schools. The tires were either punctured, slashed or deflated, and Goff estimated that $4,500 in tires had to be replaced.

Police believe it happened six to 10 hours before the buses were scheduled to start their runs. Some of the buses carry two to three loads each morning, especially at the elementary schools, Goff said. The schools affected were Hardy, Carrollton and Westside elementary and Smithfield middle and high schools.

Some buses for the school system's northern runs were parked at Westside Elementary, and those weren't damaged, Goff said.

She said some buses were just a few minutes late; others were 30 minutes or more late getting to the schools. Students were excused for being tardy.

"We want to praise our bus drivers for their actions," she said. "They reported the vandalism immediately and got to work getting the buses repaired so they could get on their way. We'd also like to thank the parents for their patience."

The Isle of Wight Sheriff's Department is investigating. Anyone with information can call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887).

Linda McNatt, (757) 222-5561, linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com