Outgoing principal arrested after attempting to steal electronics from school: Report

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EAST PALESTINE , Ohio (WKBN) — The recently hired superintendent of the Leetonia school district is facing theft charges after police say he stole over $4,300 worth of electronics from East Palestine High School.

According to East Palestine police, Gerald Delboccio, 43, is facing a theft charge after officials say he attempted to steal electronic devices from the school district.

Delboccio is the current principal of East Palestine High School and was recently hired as superintendent of Leetonia schools after he was not hired as superintendent of East Palestine schools. His resignation as high school principal is set to be effective July 31.

The police report said officials with the East Palestine school district administration reported that a number of electronic devices were missing from the principal’s office on June 7. Officials with the school district told police that they’d noticed issues with Delboccio leading up to the investigation, causing them to reach out to officers.

Upon investigation, police found the closet in the principal’s office — which typically holds laptops, TVs, tablets and other electronics — had been cleared out.

Security footage showed that on June 5, Delboccio was seen entering his office at East Palestine High School with a backpack and empty bag, according to the police report. Security footage from later that day also showed Delboccio carrying the bags — which then appeared to be full — out of the building, as well as two boxes with laptops in them, the police report states.

In the investigation, police officers got in touch with Delboccio and found the electronics in the back of his car. The 29 items recovered included video game controllers, laptops, tablets, TVs and more — some of which were still sealed. The value of the items is estimated to be about $4,382.

Delboccio was charged with theft — a fifth-degree felony — and was taken to the Columbiana County Jail, where he awaits arraignment.

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