By Howard Koplowitz
Seven borough Catholic schools have been broken into since November, including two that were hit on the same day as part of a burglary pattern that the Police Department identified in which 10 private schools in Brooklyn and Queens were affected.
Holy Family School at 74-15 175th St. in Flushing was the latest to be hit when it was robbed of an undetermined amount of cash after 11 p.m. Feb. 10, police said.
Our Lady of Lourdes School at 98-80 220th St. in Queens Village was also broken into that day, but no money was taken, police said.
A Howard Beach parochial school, Our Lady of Grace, at 158-20 101st St., was hit twice, police said. Cash was taken from the school after 9:15 p.m. Dec. 14, police said.
Our Lady of Grace was broken into a month later on Jan. 15 after 8 p.m., police said, but nothing was taken from the school during that incident.
The school declined to comment.
Police identified the burglary pattern Feb. 17.
St. Helen Roman Catholic School at 83-09 157th Ave. in Howard Beach was burglarized after 6 p.m. Jan. 15, police said.
Peter Doran, the principal of the school, declined to comment.
A day later, Our Lady of Snows Catholic School at 79-33 258th St. in Floral Park was hit at 8 a.m., police said.
The school referred comment to the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens.
St. Mary Gate of Heaven School at 104-06 101st Ave. in Ozone Park was the first in the pattern to be hit, police said.
An undetermined amount of cash was taken from the school Nov. 22 at 11:30 p.m., police said.
The school’s principal could not be reached for comment.
A Brooklyn parochial school, Our Lady of Grace, was burglarized Jan. 21 at 5:50 a.m., police said.
The Brooklyn Blue Feather Elementary School, a private school, was broken into twice in the same day — at 3:45 a.m. and at 10 p.m. Dec. 27 — with cash being taken both times, police said.
Surveillance video from one of the Brooklyn schools provided by the Police Department showed two men walking down the halls, one wearing a mask and the other wearing a hooded sweatshirt underneath a jacket.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
