PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL COMPUTER THEFTS ARE LINKEDPublic Opinion - www.publicopiniononline.com - Chambersburg, PAPolice: School computer thefts are linked
By KEITH PARADISE
Staff writer

Police believe one group of people is responsible for a rash of computer thefts from schools in Franklin, Cumberland and Huntingdon counties.

Since July, burglars have broken into elementary schools 12 times in the three counties, stealing computer equipment, including laptops, central processing units, monitors and video projectors valued at $150,000. In the last three weeks, three schools have been broken into and computer equipment stolen.

In Chambersburg, Grandview Elementary School was burglarized on Dec. 3 ? the second time in a month. Equipment valued at about $15,000 was stolen. Four days later, Rockhill Furnace Elementary School in Huntingdon County was burglarized. On Dec. 14, burglars helped themselves to candy and money from the faculty lounge and student cafeteria along with computer equipment during a break-in at Mifflin Elementary School in Lower Mifflin Township in Cumberland County.

Also, Chambersburg Area School District's Lurgan Elementary School was burglarized three times.
"Right now we don't have any

names, but we're working on putting together some positive profiles," said Trooper Ed Asbury of Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg.

Chambersburg Area School District is offering a $2,500 reward for information about those responsible for the burglaries and the Franklin County Crime Solvers group is adding another $2,000 to the pot.

Police said the stolen computers might be sold on Internet auction sites, such as eBay, or could be sold at reduced prices.

Asbury said anyone who has purchased a laptop from someone at a rock bottom price might want to determine it was not stolen. He also said people who think they could have purchased a stolen computer need to contact the police immediately.

Anyone who is found to have purchased one of these items could face prosecution for receiving stolen property.

"If someone offers to sell you a laptop for $20, you're going to assume that something's wrong. But if someone offers you one for $100 and says something like, 'Well it was my grandmother's and she doesn't need it any more,' you may not go that extra step to make sure there isn't something wrong. People need to go that extra step," Asbury said.




Originally published December 22, 2005