Escalon Unified School District officials are hopeful that a lengthy string of thefts in the district has come to an end.

The arrest of a district employee, Thomas O’Hare, earlier this week led to a search of his residence, said Escalon police, and at least one item previously reported stolen from the school district was located there.

“We’re working with the police department,” said EUSD Superintendent Ron Costa on Friday morning, adding that “appropriate action is taking place” at the district level regarding the employee.

According to Escalon Police, an employee of Escalon High School reported the unauthorized use of her debit card on Tuesday, Aug. 1. The charge was determined to have occurred at a bank in Escalon while she was at work.

Escalon PD Officer Steven Quilici obtained video surveillance from the bank and the suspect was identified as Thomas O’Hare, 31, an Escalon Unified School District employee. O'Hare was arrested in connection with the unauthorized use of the card and Detective Hardgraves obtained a search warrant for his residence, in an attempt to locate property that had been stolen during several other thefts from the school earlier in the year. Upon searching O'Hare’s residence, police said a camera that was stolen from the high school between December 2016 and January 2017 was located.

“There had been sporadic thefts over the last six months,” added Costa.

O'Hare was subsequently booked into the San Joaquin County Jail for identity theft, theft, and unauthorized use of an access card.

He served as one of the district’s IT people, said Costa, and also was the JV girls basketball coach for the 2016-17 season.

Look for additional information in the Aug. 9 issue of The Times.