US VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOL Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands Newspaper, A Pulitzer Prize Winning Newspaper, Virgin Islands Guide, Virgin Islands Info

By MERLIN JnBAPTISTE Tuesday, March 7th 2006

ST. THOMAS - More than $2,500 worth of computer equipment and learning tools were stolen from several classrooms at Charlotte Amalie High School during the weekend, Principal Jeanette Smith said Monday.

The missing items include a teacher's laptop computer, a desktop PC, calculators and additional items, Smith said.

"The burglaries occurred in an isolated area on the southwest side of the campus," she said.

The burglaries were reported at 9 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Monday on the police blotter, a log of calls made to emergency dispatchers.

Smith said the partially fenced campus lacks adequate security. "We need better lighting and a perimeter fence or a solid block wall," she said. "This issue is more than 10 years old. We'd be very happy if we could get the campus closed."

Senate Education Committee Chairman Shawn-Michael Malone said Monday that the committee was working on finding funds to end the problem.

"We are working to secure and protect the property," Malone said. "CAHS needs a wall - the estimates are not in."

Malone said at least $1 million would be needed to erect a wall on the perimeter of the school. "I want to know when the money is there before making any promises," he said. "The best example of a properly secured school is BCB - there is a wall, fence and lighting."

Malone said he plans to ask for help from the Police and Public Works departments until more permanent security upgrades are in place.

"The liability to the government is extremely high," Malone said. "I'll put in a call for the Police Department to beef up patrols surrounding the campus and contact Public Works to cut the bushes around the campus."

Malone said another alternative is to flood the area with lights. "Those are two inexpensive ways of taking care of the problem until the fence goes up," he said.

Malone said he plans to speak with Smith and again tour the campus. He last toured the campus two years ago.

The weekend burglaries occurred less than a month after a Feb. 16 sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl ninth-grader. The girl told police that he was taken off campus to a remote location and raped by three boys. No arrests have been made as of Monday; the incident is still under investigation, police said.

Police asked that anyone with information about any of he crimes contact the Crime Hotline at 777-8771 or call 911.

- Contact Merlin JnBaptiste at 774-8772 ext. 352 or e-mail mjnbaptiste@dailynews.vi.