TEXAS COMPUTER THEFT AT UNIVERSITY PROBEDSan Marcos Daily Record
Campus computer thefts investigated
By ANITA MILLER - News Editor
Posted: Friday, Mar 26, 2004 - 03:46:55 pm CST

Authorities at Texas State University stop short of saying the theft of several computers and computer components from the campus during Spring Break were the work of a single suspect - but the series of break-ins do share a distressing similarity.

"The disconcerting part for us is they were all forced entries," said Jeb Thomas, an investigator with the University Police Department.

"We periodically have laptops stolen but that is usually more opportunity theft - someone left their laptop on a table and it walked away. This is more disconcerting, a premeditated thing to make an entry to get a computer."

The break-ins happened in five different buildings between March 8 and 12. Thomas said the half-dozen laptop computers and components are roughly valued at $9,000.



The break-ins occurred in Nueces Hall, Evans Liberal Arts, Flowers Hall, Commons Hall and the Academic Services Building. The crimes occurred on four different nights.

Thomas declined to release too many specifics as not to jeopardize the investigation. He did say that some of the buildings targeted are accessible at night. "Some of the initial entries were through unlocked exterior doors. The forced entry was on interior offices."

Likewise, he would not speculate on whether the crimes are connected. "We're not sure they're all related," he said. "In some the method was a little different. I'm not confident in saying they're connected."

Preventing theft is one of the UPD's major functions, Thomas said. He noted that personnel assigned to various campus programs, such as the Bobcat Bobbie escort program, are trained to report suspicious activities. "The main job of the facilities access guards is to help secure buildings, so they are on campus looking for doors that are unlocked."

Thomas also mentioned the university's "Gotcha" program, in which police personnel look for unlocked doors and if they find one, leave a note "saying we're the ones who locked your door and what time we locked it." Additionally, he said, campus police routinely do regular foot patrols in campus buildings.

Thomas said so far as he knows, no important data was lost on any of the stolen computers.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Thomas at 245-2883. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 353-TIPS from the San Marcos calling area or at (800) 324-TIPS from anywhere.

Students, faculty and staff of Texas State wanting to learn more about how to better secure their offices and areas can contact the Community Awareness and Resource Team at 245-8341.