VERMONT COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM TWO OFFICESRutland Herald: Rutland Vermont News & Information
Burglar rips off Springfield computersNovember 1, 2005

By JOHANNA SORRENTINO Southern Vermont Bureau

SPRINGFIELD — Four laptops, a computer monitor and other equipment was stolen from two offices in the Bank Block on Main Street Friday night.

Springfield Police Officer Dean Fullerton said there are no leads at this time, but the investigation will be left open. Police are not sure if someone acted alone or with others.

Fullerton said the burglar walked in the unlocked front door and used a tool to pry open the door to the staircase.

Once upstairs, the burglar kicked open the door to the State Health Insurance Assistance Program office, sponsored by the Council of Aging.

A new desktop computer monitor worth around $75 was stolen along with three laptops. One of the laptops was new, bought with state funding for the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program introduced this year.

Marlene Eddy, SHIP coordinator for the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, needs the laptop to access the prescription drug program's Web site.

"This is absolutely the worst timing," Eddy said.

The laptop allows Eddy to explain the new program and display the Web site to clients in their home and at health care presentations.

Richard Woodside, financial manager for the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, said he hoped to replace the equipment before employees came into work Tuesday morning. Woodside said the other laptops were each worth around $1,000.

Marie Saunders, director for the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, said their offices on the third floor were broken into twice before, though this is the first time that valuable equipment was stolen.

Another laptop, along with a combination printer, scanner, and fax machine and a digital camera, was stolen from the Southern Vermont Recreation Center Foundation located down the hall from the SHIP office.

The three pieces of equipment totaled around $2,800, according to Fullerton.

On the third floor, the burglar attempted to pry open the door to Vermont Legal Aid, but was unsuccessful.

Those doors, unlike the other two, had a deadbolt on them.

After the last break-in at the Council on Aging this summer, Vermont Legal Aid decided to replace their locks with deadbolts.

Vermont Legal Aid attorney Lisa Rae discovered the break-ins Saturday morning, and alerted police immediately.

Tom Lauritsen, project manager for the Gassetts Group, which owns the building, said the damage to the various locks will cost several hundred dollars to replace.

All locks in the building will be replaced with deadbolts, and the fire escape locks will also be upgraded.

There are around 60 people who work in the building. Lauritsen said several employees work late at night or on weekends.

"All it takes is for someone to leave that front door open," he said.

The Gassetts Group will circulate a memo reminding tenants to lock the door behind themselves. Lauritsen said he will also start checking to make sure the doors are locked every evening.

Security cameras, costing around $15,000, will also be installed throughout the building.

"You can put all kinds of locks on the door, but when they know they're on camera, the break-ins stop suddenly," he said.

Lauritsen said the building is broken into every couple of years, but usually results in nothing more than vandalism.

Saturday's incident is part of a recent rash of break-ins occurring in town, most of them car burglaries.

"I can't assume anything, but there are slight similarities," Fullerton said.

Police cannot fingerprint the doors because too many people have used them and the dust would ruin the phone jacks.

Fullerton said everyone in the building would have to be fingerprinted.

"It would be a waste of time and energy and create a big mess. There is a very slight chance that we would get a hit off of it," he said.

Eddy, who moved into her new office Oct. 1, said the news made her a little uneasy.

Saunders said, "I always make sure I'm locked in."

Contact Johanna Sorrentino at johanna.sorrentino@rutlandherald.com.