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Schools

School Pool Peppered with Sardines, Seafood, and Mysterious Message

Authorities say the swimming pool at Dana Hills High School, home to the Dolphins, was vandalized between late Thursday and early Friday morning.

While Dolphins typically take to the pool, last week it was filled with sardines, raw shrimp, and sardine tins according to authorities.

It appears the pool at the school, located at 33333 Golden Lantern St., was vandalized after the Dolphin Aquatics Swim Team left the area between 9 p.m. Thursday, and 6 a.m. Friday, said Gail Krause, spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

"There were sardines in the pool, along with the tins, and raw shrimp," she said. "There was also a message written on the pool deck in what appeared to be ketchup: 'There's only room for one.' "

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Parent Ann B. who lives in Laguna Niguel, and has kids at the school, first alerted Laguna Niguel Patch to the incident.

"My kids are freshmen; my son is on the DHHS Water Polo Team and Dolphin Aquatics and my daughter is in P.E. They both saw and smelled the mess," she said.

Find out what's happening in Laguna Niguel-Dana Pointwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

She added that workers who were cleaning up the mess the next day told her kids "there were 400 cans of sardines and 80 cans of tomato stuff."

"The rumor is that the football team did it as retaliation for its loss on Thursday or in preparations for the Friday night game, but who knows. The coach said they are draining the pool, acid cleaning ... it  may be back to normal by Wednesday or Thursday. I understand pranks but this is pure criminal vandalism to a broke budget school/district." 

Krause said the message written in ketchup may have had to do with school sports team rivalry. At this time there are no leads or suspects, she said.

"There are several surveillance cameras, but it was dark, and there is no way to make out any images," she said.

School offificals were not available for comment.

Anyone who has information regarding the incident is asked to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIPS-OCCS.

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