ARIZONA UNIVERSITY COMPUTER THEFTSArizona Daily Wildcat - Laptops stolen from physics TAs - Tuesday, March 30, 2004: "By Holly Wells
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
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At least six laptops have been stolen from the graduate teaching assistants’ offices in the Physics and Atmospheric Sciences building within the last two weeks.
Sheng Yuan, a physics teaching assistant, said his laptop was stolen on March 18, just one week after someone stole another laptop from the same room.
After that laptop was stolen, Yuan took his computer home to safeguard it, but brought it back to the office to grade homework and enter grades, he said.
Yuan said he then left to go eat at the Student Union Memorial Center and was sure he locked the door.
“After being gone one hour, I came back and (found) my laptop stolen too,” he said.
Yuan said he had been the only person in the office and the building had been nearly empty at the time because of spring break.
Delphine Perrodin, a physics graduate student, also had her laptop stolen over spring break.
Perrodin said she remembers locking the door before leaving the office.
Yuan and Perrodin both said they believe the thefts were committed by someone who works in the building.
“All of the doors have been locked; someone must have a master key because they’ve been able to get into several offices,” Perrodin said.
Yuan said his computer contained student grades, since he is a TA this semester.
“Some of the grades I had recorded on paper, but I had to ask students to bring in some of their old homework,” he said.
Perrodin said her computer contained research along with student grades from last semester.
Perrodin said she was disappointed with how UAPD handled the investigation.
“The person didn’t steal my mouse or cables. When I When I asked police to fingerprint them, they said they couldn’t fingerprint cables and didn’t have the funding,” she said.

Yuan said he also asked police to fingerprint the area and was told that it wouldn’t do much good because so many graduate assistants worked in the area and touched the equipment.

Sgt. Eugene Mejia said UAPD has taken several reports of stolen laptops and is investigating the case.

Mejia said the investigation was difficult because someone has been using a key to get in.

“Officers have provided (the victims) with information on how to prevent further laptops from being stolen and steps are being taken to identify the suspect,” he said.

If the suspect has been using the laptops to interfere with grades in any way, Mejia said he or she would face criminal charges for manipulating grades and for burglary.

Mejia said the dean of students would also likely take action against the thief.

Yuan said although he is not aware of any precautions the physics department has made to prevent further theft, he is now careful about what he leaves in the office.

“If they took my laptop, they could take anything,” he said.

Anyone with information should contact UAPD at 621-8273