Police investigating arson near Lindbergh High School

Arsonists destroyed two school vans valued at $14,000 in the early morning hours of Jan. 29 at Lindbergh High School.

Arsonists destroyed two school vans valued at $14,000 in the early morning hours of Jan. 29 at Lindbergh High School.

The vans were used by school staff to take students to school-related events and activities, according to Randy Matheson, a spokesman for the Renton School District.

“We are discussing moving school-issued vehicles to the district’s transportation facilities and having teachers and other school staff check them out from there,” said Matheson, as a result of the arson at Lindbergh, 16426 128th Ave. S.E.

He can’t recall similar incidents involving district vehicles.

Security video shows four individuals, probably male, entering school grounds from an access road behind the football field at about 3:25 a.m., according to the Renton Police Department.

They go out of the camera’s view but were walking toward the front of a van. Twenty-four seconds later, they run off. Smoke, then fire is coming from one of the vans.

It appears they set fire to one van, which became so intense it severely damaged a second van, according to police.

There is little suspect information, other than they were wearing dark clothing and possibly jeans.

There have been no arrests and police have no leads, according to Renton Police Commander David Leibman. He said this arson fire appears unrelated to Dumpster fires downtown.