Man charged in theft of school musical instruments

A Del City man has been charged with stealing $20,000 in musical instruments from a middle school.

Patrick Sean Hicks, 37, is also facing burglary charges in thefts of firearms, blank checks and an M&M candy machine, according to a court affidavit.

Hicks entered Del Crest Middle School at 2:15 a.m. Jan. 4 with a contractor key card and headed to the music room, according to the affidavit. He reportedly cut a hole in the aluminum siding to gain further access to the building and stole multiple musical instruments, including a Buffet Crampon clarinet.

Hicks was issued the contractor card while working for Air Conditioning Service Inc., but he never returned the access badge after resigning, according to the affidavit. Investigators learned Hicks sold the Buffet Crampon clarinet at a pawn shop in Oklahoma City, claiming he had owned the instrument for six years, police said.

Del City police have recovered two of the instruments from the pawn shop, Capt. Brad Rule said. The rest are still missing.

“We don't know if he pawned them or got rid of them or sold them on the street,” Rule said. “We're still investigating.”

Hicks has also been charged in a Jan. 29 firearm theft from Kings Pawn and Gun. A search of the suspect's home revealed methamphetamine, an M&M machine and blank checks, according to the affidavit. The owner of a Ron's Hamburgers in Midwest City told police the candy machine and the checks had been stolen from the restaurant.

Officers also found a debit card that had been reported stolen along with a driver's license and several credit cards that didn't belong to Hicks, police said.

He is in custody at the Oklahoma County jail on two counts of seconddegree burglary, making a false declaration of ownership to a pawnbroker and possession of stolen property.

Hicks has convictions in Oklahoma County of concealing stolen property, second-degree forgery and possession of a controlled substance, among others. He is facing charges in a separate case with threatening to perform an act of violence, malicious injury and destruction of property, and violating computer laws.