PENNSYLVANIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOLSThe Sentinel Online : Local News

Snacking burglars take school?s computers

By Linda Franz, Dec 15, 2005


Computer burglars hit another Big Spring school.

State police at Carlisle report someone entered Mifflin Elementary School about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday and broke into several classrooms.

Several computers and parts from many other computers were stolen, police say.

It was the fourth time since July that computers have been stolen from district schools.

Wednesday?s thieves also took candy and cash from the faculty lounge and stole money from the student cafeteria.

Police speculate the burglars could have spent hours inside the school, as there was evidence they ate food and drank beverages in the faculty lounge.

Authorities say the computers remaining in the school will not be functional until repairs are made to the system.


Big Spring Superintendent Richard Fry says about $11,000 worth of equipment was stolen.

?It caused us to adjust our day,? he says. ?They hit virtually every computer.?

Burglaries believed related

Big Spring is taking additional security measures, Fry says.

Three previous break-ins dating back to July have resulted in the loss of nearly $50,000 worth of computer equipment. As a result, the school board authorized the purchase of $14,274 in security systems for Plainfield and Newville elementaries.

The thieves also broke into the former Big Spring High School, which was empty at the time except for district offices. Once renovations at this building are completed next week, it will become the district?s middle school.

Grandview, Guilford Hills and Lurgan elementaries in Chambersburg Area School District also have been hit by computer thieves in the last five months. The total loss in five burglaries at those rural schools is close to $100,000, say authorities, who believe the Big Spring and Chambersburg area thefts are related.

Big Spring?s Fry hopes community residents will be able to help solve the crimes by reporting something that seems amiss.

Police ask that anyone with information or who witnessed any suspicious activities in the area call 249-2121.

?We?re going to catch them,? Fry says. ?I just hope it?s sooner rather than later.?