Suspect arrested in Irvine school burglary

Police arrested an Irvine man on suspicion of breaking into an elementary school classroom Tuesday and said he could be tied to recent burglaries at a half-dozen schools.

Around 5 a.m., a security guard at Canyon View Elementary School in Irvine noticed a man leaving a classroom, police said. The guard took a picture and the man fled, leaving behind a motorcycle, Irvine police Cmdr. Julia Engen said.

Police searched the area but couldn’t find the man, Engen said.

Plainclothes detectives staked out the motorcycle and arrested Thomas Kirkpatrick, 51, when he went to the school at about 7:30 a.m. while parents were dropping off children.

Kirkpatrick is suspected of stealing cash, food and a gift card from classrooms, according to police.

Since April, there have been 10 break-ins at six schools in Irvine, Engen said. In each case, someone pried open a door to get at electronics, cash or food, police said.

Detectives are looking into whether Kirkpatrick is connected to those burglaries.

Police and school officials said that, to their knowledge, Kirkpatrick did not have any previous affiliation with the Irvine Unified School District or the campuses where the burglaries occurred.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Irvine Police Department at (949) 724-7200.