Vandals, some with a history of school destruction, were caught on camera breaking windows and causing damages totaling more than $10,000 at Los Lunas High School on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Desi Garcia, director of safety and security for Los Lunas Schools, said five individuals over a two-day period were seen on school surveillance cameras causing the damages.

All five have been arrested and face felony charges.

One of the alleged vandals was Charles Coy, a former Los Lunas High School student who was involved in vandalism incidents at Valencia High School and the theft of a security camera from the Los Lunas High School about two years ago, Garcia said.

Surveillance cameras caught the individuals gaining access to the roof of LLHS around 1:40 a.m. Tuesday, and causing damage to windows and the roof, but the quality was too poor to make out faces, Garcia said.

The individuals returned to the school around 3 a.m. on Wednesday, bringing the total number of broken windows to 26, Garcia said.

An air conditioning unit was also tampered with, causing water damage to the front of the building, but luckily did not cause damage to the floor of the gymnasium, Garcia said.

The individuals used anything they could find to break the windows, including rocks and a maintenance ladder found on the school premises, Garcia said.

The vandals also admitted to being under the influence of narcotics during the time of the incidents, Garcia said.

Garcia said security found evidence that the individuals also gained access to the swimming pool, and surveillance cameras showed that at least three of the individuals entered the school through the broken windows.

"It appears nothing was stolen," Garcia said, "but they were actually in the school."

All of the individuals except Coy are minors, and all of them are former or current LLHS students, Garcia said.

Garcia said one of the vandals was also involved in the graffiti vandalism that occurred on June 26 at LLHS. Interviews led to the identification of the three individuals involved in the June 26 incident, two of whom are Albuquerque Public Schools students.

"Every year, we get incidents during the summer," Garcia said. "We're adamant about following up, taking action."

All of the individuals are being charged with criminal damage to property exceeding $2,500, which is a felony charge; breaking and entering; conspiracy; and larceny, Garcia said. The school will also take the current LLHS students to a long-term suspension hearing, Garcia said.

"It was a senseless act," he said. "It really hurts the entire community as well as the (students)."

Garcia said repairs to LLHS will be completed by the time school begins. The expense of the damage is unfortunate, especially considering the economic times, Garcia said.

"We're fighting for every penny we get," he said.

Garcia said the schools have insurance that would cover part of the cost, but will attempt to get restitution from the vandals.