PENNSYLVANIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOLPublic Opinion - www.publicopiniononline.com - Chambersburg, PAComputer equipment taken from schools
By LINWOOD OUTLAW III and KEITH PARADISE
Staff writers

FRANKLIN COUNTY ? The theft of computer equipment from Lurgan Elementary School Wednesday night and Grandview Elementary School last week is leaving educators frustrated.

"You buy this equipment for the purpose of education and, when this happens you really feel violated. And I think some of the students are starting to feel that way, too," said Lurgan Principal Jeffrey Lucas.

Someone broke into the school between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday and stole between $10,000 and $11,000 worth of equipment, according to Lucas. Included in the items taken were a $6,000 multi-media symposium that the school had just received two weeks ago and a $1,500 LCD projector.

Lucas said burglars also used a fire extinguisher to break into the teachers' lounge. However, neither of the computers in the lounge, which are older models, were taken. This is the third time in four months the school has been broken into, with computer thieves hitting on consecutive nights in August.
Someone broke into the Plainfield Elementary School in West Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, and stole an estimated $20,000 in equipment, according to Pennsylvania State Police, Carlisle.

On Nov. 2, someone broke into Grandview and stole 27 laptop computers, three headsets, one Palm Pilot and a transmitting monitor for the visually impaired.

"We have a laptop lab for students and a stationary lab with other computers for students. First-graders and kids in kindergarten are getting first priority to use those labs," said Mark Long, Grandview's technology director. "It's been very frustrating for the students and everybody."

Long said the school is in the process of working with its insurance company to replace the stolen items and hopes to have new equipment by December.

"Hopefully, we can get some new equipment before next month. There's still a few things to look into," Long said.

Pennsylvania State police, Chambersburg, are investigating the Franklin County thefts, but have not reported any leads. A spokesperson for the police said investigators are working with the state police in Carlisle to determine if the thefts are connected.

"These people are very well organized and know what they're doing. They know exactly what they are after," Lucas said.

Originally published November 11, 2005