Port Hueneme police seek suspect in landscaping equipment theft from elementary school

Port Hueneme police are asking for the public's help finding a man suspected of hauling off more than $3,000 in landscaping equipment from an elementary school last month.

The man was spotted at Hueneme Elementary on Aug. 28 at about 6:30 a.m. leaving with a red and black Honda lawnmower. When confronted by a school employee, the man said he "found" the lawnmower, police said Tuesday in a social media post.

The man fled when confronted by the school employee who threatened to call police. The worker provided photos of the man to officers who arrived shortly before 7:30 a.m.

The man was wearing a dark baseball cap that says, "Nets," across the front and dark athletic clothing, including a zip-up Adidas jacket with a soccer logo on the front. He also appears to be wearing a white rosary around his neck.

In addition to the $1,200 mower, the suspect is accused of taking an orange Echo leaf blower, a red weed trimmer, a Stihl hedge trimmer and a McLane edger from the school's maintenance storage unit.

Police asked anyone with information about the suspect to contact Detective C. Taylor at ctaylor@cityofporthueneme.org, 986-6628 or 986-6530.