Authorities looking for bus pranksters

TUCSON, Ariz. - Authorities believe a group of high school pranksters are responsible for letting the air out of the tires of 76 school buses and writing ``Class of '09'' on several windows in Vail, 15 miles southeast of Tucson.

Vail School District Superintendent Calvin Baker said it took nearly two dozen employees four hours to get the buses back in working order and wash off the graffiti by the end of the school day Tuesday. Parents had to drive their children to school in the morning.

Baker said the prank didn't have much of an impact on attendance, but did endanger some students.

``The significant issue here is that while we contacted the media and sent e-mails, not all parents were aware and small children were left unattended at bus stops,'' Baker said. ``Now I'm sure that was not their intent, but it did put those children in danger.''

The Pima County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident.

``We will catch the students who did this, we'll look at all of the evidence and make a decision on how to proceed from there,'' Baker said.