NEW MEXICO COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM ASAP MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT IN LOS LUNASThe News-Bulletin: Driver's license equipment stolen from ASAP MVD in Los LunasWednesday, October 5, 2005

Driver's license equipment stolen from ASAP MVD in Los Lunas


Clara Garcia News-Bulletin Staff Writer; cgarcia@news-bulletin.com

Los Lunas Thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment was stolen last week from ASAP MVD, but the owner has assured the public that her customers' information is safe.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, Carolyn Frasier, owner of ASAP MVD on N.M. 47, went to work to find that someone had broken the front glass door. She said this was the second break-in that week, but the first time that someone actually went in and burglarized the business.

Three days earlier, Frasier found that someone had removed the front glass from the door, but nothing was missing, she said.

"This time, the front door was shattered," Frasier said. "The only thing I could think was that they had come back again — it was a horrible feeling."

When Frasier saw that the front door was shattered, she immediately called police before entering the building. She said when she did go inside to assess the damage, she found that the burglars had taken at least $20,000 worth of equipment.

"They stole all of the camera equipment and the computer that we use to make driver's licenses," Frasier said. "They also stole money and some titles."

According to the police report, the burglars ransacked the office and used a pry bar-type tool to gain entry into a back office. The perpetrator also went through several file cabinets and found money and receipts, the report said.

Frasier said that even though the MVD equipment is in the hands of thieves, she is not worried that her customer's information is compromised. She suspects that whoever stole the computers wanted them for one sole purpose — to manufacture false identification cards.

"They cannot get into the New Mexico data base; they can't actually get into anyone's records," said Frasier, who opened ASAP MVD in June 2003. "And they would have to have some type of program other than what the state has to make the fake driver's licenses. They must have something in mind to go to all the trouble of breaking in and taking all my equipment."

ASAP MVD opened back up for business the following Monday, but in a limited capacity. Frasier said because she was without her driver's license camera equipment and supporting computer, they were only able to produce vehicle transactions such as titles and registrations. She said she hopes to be in full operation by midweek.

"I just want to say that we appreciate the understanding of our customers under these circumstances," Frasier said.

No arrests have been made in the case and anyone who has information is asked to call the Los Lunas Police Department at 865-9130.