NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTER HARD DRIVES STOLEN FROM SCHOOLHard Drives, Fundraiser Money Stolen At ClementSomeone broke into two classrooms at Clement Elementary School over the weekend and took two computer hard drives. Also missing were two boxes of pennies raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Clement Principal Linda Williams said the teachers in the two classrooms arrived at school yesterday morning and discovered the items missing. There were no signs of forced entry. Other than the computer parts, a radio/tape player and two boxes of money collected for the Pennies for Patients program were missing.

Pennies for Patients is a national fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The money provides funding for research and cures for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma and other blood-related cancers.

Ms. Williams said she is disappointed in this type of criminal activity. The money cannot be replaced, but the computers can.

“We will purchase the hard drives for the school and this will be done this week,” she said.

“I think it is a violation and shame they (the criminals) would take some things children use for the furtherance of education. The computers are used for by the children for the Accelerated Reader tests to better themselves. Now two classes are limited in that area temporarily.”

Ms. Williams said the school has taken precautions to “make sure it does not happen again.”

Det. John Blanchard and Sgt. C.M. Hill of the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office are the investigators assigned the case. At this time, there are no suspects