Students cited after releasing hundreds of crickets in school

Eight seniors from North Rowan High School were charged with breaking and entering and damage to property after they reportedly released about 450 crickets into the hallways Sunday night.

Spencer Police Chief Robert Bennett said Tony Hinson, school resource officer for North Rowan, has the complete report and is not available until later tonight because he is in training.

Bennett confirmed that eight students, all seniors, went into the high school Sunday with a key. “We are still trying to determine where they got the key,” Bennett said.

“Once inside, they Gorilla Glued most of the internal doors in the school,” he said.

Then they released “an unknown number” of crickets into the freshman hall.

“There was no other damage inside that we know of,” Bennett said.

Hinson, the resource officer, charged all eight with misdemeanor breaking and entering and damage to real property.

Rita Foil, public information officer for Rowan-Salisbury schools confirmed that all eight students have been suspended for five days.

An exterminator will clean up the remaining crickets this weekend when students are not in the building, however custodians were able to gather most of them Monday morning.

The students were charged after Principal Darrell McDowell put out an announcement on Monday requesting information about the incident.

Hill's Minnow Farm, which sells crickets to fisherman, has videotape of the students purchasing the crickets at their store. One of the students expressed concern over keeping so many crickets alive, according to Terry Hill, the owner of Hill's Minnow Farm, and did mention it was for a prank.  The students purchased seven tubes of crickets.

Check back for more updates.