MASSACHUSETTS COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOLMetroWest Daily News - Local News CoverageThief hits school for $100K in tech gear
By Charlie Breitrose / Daily News Staff
Thursday, October 13, 2005

FRAMINGHAM -- Framingham High Principal Michael Welch had the first inkling something was wrong on Tuesday morning when he looked for the bowl of bubble gum on his desk.

"One of the vice principals said, 'Can I have some gum?' And the gum was gone," Welch said.

Gone, too, was about $100,000 worth of computers and other equipment that had been stolen from the high school in a break-in over the Columbus Day weekend.

During a raid at a home, which police would not identify, officers recovered those items and other school property that had apparently been stolen over the last two years, Welch said.

The name and age of the person suspected of stealing the laptop computers, graphing calculators and other items was not released because the police investigation is continuing, said Welch, who was interviewed as detectives catalogued the recovered items yesterday afternoon.

School Superintendent Chris Martes said the person caught is related to the school, but he would not be more specific because of the continuing investigation.

Welch said the items were discovered in the suspect's home.

"The investigation is ongoing, but the material has been recovered," Welch said. "It appears not just to be this material but material stolen last year and the year before that."

Framingham Police Lt. Vincent Alfano said he could not release information on the investigation, but he said more details would be disclosed today.

The quick work of the police, particularly the school's resource officer, Bennie Ottaviani, amazed Welch.

"The real hero here is Bennie Ottaviani," Welch said. "I made the (in-house) TV announcement (Tuesday) afternoon at about 1:45. By (yesterday) morning at 10 o'clock he said it was solved."

Welch said a $500 reward had been offered and tips came in from students and teachers. He was not sure whether the reward would be given out.

The most valuable items taken, however, were dozens of laptops that had been kept in locked cabinets. The computers cost $1,750 each when they were purchased, Welch said. He did not have a full list of what had been recovered, but the principal said it was considerable.

"I would say, given what I have seen, I'm pretty confident that it is in excess of $100,000," Welch said.

The fate of all the items stolen is not clear, Welch said.

"We're not sure if the stuff was being sold or just sitting around somewhere," Welch said.

The break-in occurred over the weekend, but it is not clear when during the three-day break it happened, Welch said. Items were missing from all over the school, including the math department, the science department, even the theater, Welch said.

Recovering the items came as a relief for Martes, but he was concerned about how it happened.

"We're pleased about the results, but we need to look more closely at the security and make sure the building is completely locked," Martes said. "Certainly, it is difficult during a renovation project."

The school has a surveillance system on the outside of the building, Welch said, but there are no internal cameras and some outside areas are not covered.

"Frankly, the construction is causing a problem, when you are attaching something onto a completed building," Welch said