CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOL School loses computer equipment to thieves - - SENTINEL STAFF REPORT - February 16, 2006

February 16, 2006

School loses computer equipment to thieves

Principal Ian MacGregor hopes he's seen the last of thefts at Cesar Chavez Middle School.

The middle school at 440 Arthur Road has been broken into at least twice in the past two weeks with computers stolen each time, the last time being Sunday, MacGregor said.

Watsonville police arrested three men in connection with the latest robbery after they were seen carrying computer equipment from the building by a First Alarm security guard patrolling a nearby construction site.

Detectives used surveillance video and other evidence to locate the three men and found some of the stolen equipment at their residence in the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, according to Capt. Eddie Rodriguez.

The school has a security system and motion detectors and has upgraded its security efforts since the break-ins, MacGregor said.

"We definitely hope that this is the end of it," he said.

Rodriguez said the Pajaro Valley school district continually faces problems with people breaking into classrooms with computers being the most popular item to steal.

Sheriff's deputies recently made arrests in connection with break-ins at schools in the north sector of the district, he said.

Detectives continue to investigate the other thefts to determine if the three arrested Sunday — Daniel Barron, 20, Larry Najar, 20, and a 17-year-old, all of Watsonville — were involved in the previous break-ins