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A Summerland school van, reported missing around midnight, June 29, was located on the edge of Orchard, Tuesday morning.

Antelope County Sheriff Bob Moore said his office received a call from Summerland football coach, Jeff Shabram, that school van number six was missing from the Orchard school site.

Superintendent Dale Martin said the vehicle is a 2000 Ford van.

According to Moore, Shabram parked the van near the school around noon on Monday.

After returning from coaching a Summerland baseball game, Shabram returned to the school to take the vehicle home to drive to weightlifting Tuesday morning.

Moore said Shabram reported making phone calls in an attempt to locate the vehicle before making the initial call to the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center.

“It became painfully obvious the vehicle was stolen,” Moore said.

Causing even more concern, the vehicle contained new equipment, including helmets and pads, for the Bobcat football team.

Moore said members of his office began searching around Orchard, but did not locate the vehicle until mid-morning Tuesday.

It was found abandoned near the Meuret Grain location, on First Street.

Moore said, “It appears whoever took the vehcile was joyriding. We’ve found marks through the grass and along the road in the area.”

The sheriff estimates $500 damage to the vehicle.

“It received minor damage after it was backed into a garbage dumpster at school,” Moore noted.

A preliminary inventory of football equipment showed nothing missing from the vehicle.

Moore reported the equipment would be unloaded Tuesday afternoon and matched with invoices.

The investigation is ongoing, according to Moore.