BUCHANAN — Copper piping was the primary target of a weekend break-in at Buchanan Middle School that threatens to delay the start of the school year for those students.

Supt. Andrea van der Laan said that whomever broke into the building pulled out a large amount of copper piping from the school’s water system and took copper valves and fittings.

“They pulled it out of the ceilings and the ventilation systems so there is major, major damage,” she said. “We don’t even have a dollar amount yet. So many parts were taken that they are still doing inventory and putting prices to it.

“Anything that had to do with the plumbing and ventilation systems, which are the two main systems that run the building, was targeted.”

Van der Laan said the individual or individuals who did this cut through the heavy chains and pad locks that were securing construction doors.

The middle school is at the tail end of a $13 million construction/renovation project paid for by a $14.9 million bond issue passed by voters in May 2013. The work was scheduled to be finished, more or less, before the start of the school year Sept. 8.

“We don’t know yet how much this will push us back,” said van der Laan, adding that insurance would pay for what was taken/damaged.

Van der Laan said workers left at around 3 or 3:30 p.m. Saturday and that the theft likely occurred sometime after that on Saturday.

She said it isn’t unusual for crews to work weekends.

“So to have another truck or crew show up probably didn’t faze anybody in the neighborhood,” she said.

A security guard will be on site each night from here on out.

Van der Laan said it is possible that the middle school will not open on time. She hopes to find out for certain in the next couple of days.

In the meantime, she is going to get in touch with the state department of education to find out what could be done about making up days if school starts late.

“If we only have to give up a day or two we will use snow days,” she said. “If it is going to be a couple of weeks, my job is to find another place to house the students while it is being finished.

“We don’t have enough information yet to know if we have to go that direction.”

Middle school orientation has been moved to the high school’s auxiliary gym Sept. 1. It begins with seventh grade at 5:30 p.m., sixth grade at 6:30 p.m. and fifth grade at 7:30 p.m.

School officials learned about the break-in Monday.

“To have this happen a few weeks before school is a travesty,” van der Laan said. “The hardest thing is they are taking this away from the kids.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Buchanan Police Department at (269) 695-5120.