MICHIGAN COMPUTER AND COMPUTER PROJECTORS STOLEN FROM UNIVERSITYThe State News - www.statenews.com$30K in equipment stolen from Fee Hall

By KRIS TURNER

The State News

MSU police are investigating a string of multimedia equipment thefts at Fee Hall last month, which total more than $30,000.
Investigators say they have no suspects yet, but a set of keys for the building were among the items stolen.

Throughout May, five computer projectors, a laptop computer and two briefcases, one of which contained Fee Hall keys, were taken, MSU police Lt. Scott Beckner said.

None of the incidents reported to police involved forced entries into offices or classrooms, Beckner said. In fact, some of the rooms were locked before and after the crimes were committed, he said.

A woman reported that a suspicious man, about 35 years old, was seen wandering in the building following the theft of a backpack late last month, Beckner said.

"We don't have any leads at this point," MSU police Inspector Bill Wardwell said, adding that there has been nothing in any of the six incidents that could help identify the person or persons responsible.

Many of the items stolen were located in rooms close to one another on the first floor of the building.

If any of the stolen projectors do surface, there is a chance that they can be returned to MSU, Wardwell said. The serial numbers on the items stolen have been entered into a national database that will alert police of their sale or purchase.

If the culprit or culprits are caught, they will face felony charges, Wardwell said.

The last theft occurred May 27, and nothing has been reported missing since. Typically, this type of crime tends to run in cycles, Wardwell said.

"We have a series of events and then a lull," he said.

MSU will cover the cost of the missing projectors, valued at about $6,500 each, academic technology coordinator John McDaniel said.

Even though two of the projectors have been replaced, teaching some courses will be difficult, McDaniel said. Faculty members will now rely on the use of portable projectors that do not allow all students to have an optimum view of their lessons, he added.

"We will have to improvise for 150 students," he said. "Someone who took these projectors knew what they were doing because they needed tools. They weren't someone who was just walking down the street."

Norma Baptista, the osteopathic medicine dean, who had a briefcase containing credit cards taken from her office during finals week, said she is saddened that someone stole from her and would take valuable tools from classrooms.

"During business hours, everything is unlocked, but doors are usually shut," she said. "Usually, we have a lot of people come in and out during finals week. We don't have video cameras - the only security we have is after hours when students and employees can access the building with a key."