ARIZONA ARREST DROPPED IN CASE OF COMPUTER THEFT AT UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Arizona Daily Wildcat - Charges dropped against suspect in McKale burglary - Wednesday, June 29, 2005Charges dropped against suspect in McKale burglary


By Holly Wells
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
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Charges were recently dropped against a woman thought to be connected with the theft of computers, sporting equipment and autographed UA memorabilia from the McKale Center last fall.

Charges are still being brought against the woman's two sons, one a former McKale Center employee, and her husband, former associate director of Parking and Transportation Services, for involvement in the burglary.

Clint A. Thomson, 20, was arrested Oct. 29 for burglary after police connected him with items missing from the McKale Center, 1741 E. Enke Drive. The theft was thought to have taken place over the span of a year.

Police began investigating Thomson after the owner of a computer repair shop contacted them to report a suspicious person who dropped off a computer.

Thomson told the owner of the shop he had purchased five computers for $1,000, but did not have a receipt, reports stated.

Thomson, who had been employed at the McKale center, his father Gary L. Thomson, associate director for PTS, his younger brother Colin Thomson, and his mother were later indicted.

Sergeant Eugene Mejia, UAPD spokesman, said Clint Thomson's immediate family was charged because the stolen items were all found in the family's home.

A search warrant found items in Clint Thomson's bedroom, his brother's bedroom, a spare bedroom and the garage, reports stated.

"The fact that there were so many stolen items at the home led us to conclude that no reasonable person could believe that the items were not stolen or somehow gotten illegally," Mejia said.

At the time of the search, Gary Thomson told police he had noticed a few things, but said he never suspected any wrong-doing, reports stated.

Items discovered included five computers, 20 pairs of Nike shoes, UA clothing, cameras, a television, sporting equipment, tools, cases of water and soda, coolers, three stadium chairs, autographed memorabilia, three boxes of baseball bats, two boxes of athletic tape, two buckets of baseballs, golf and cheerleader bags, bobble-head dolls and a set of master keys.

Four UAPD vehicles were required to take the stolen items to the station. Since then the items have been returned to the rightful departments, Mejia said. Photographs of the items were placed into evidence.

At the time of arrest, Clint Thomson told police that a supervisor had given the items to him. He later admitted that he had stolen the items and said his younger brother had nothing to do with it, according to reports.

Mejia said at the UA, efforts are made to hire the best person capable for the job. He said it is not a perfect system.

"There may be a person who has never shown any propensity for theft and then when they're exposed to expensive items they fall prey to temptations," he said.

Mejia said items were found at Thomson's home that were not even known to have been missing.

"The items were taken from locked areas where no one would know they were gone - there was no regular inventory," he said.