MANITOBA COMPUTERS STOLEN winnipegsun.com - Winnipeg News - Pics of parents' funeral on stolen laptop 'irreplaceable'

Pics of parents' funeral on stolen laptop 'irreplaceable'

Jon Schroeder is hoping whoever stole his computer has a heart.

Schroeder's parents, Arnold and Doreen, were killed in an accident on a Wisconsin highway in August. The couple was on their way to a Christian conference in Green Bay when a car driven by a suspected drunk driver jumped the meridian and smashed into their car, killing them.

Schroeder, a professional photographer, took 400 to 500 photos at his parents' Winnipeg funeral in August and had the only copies of them stored on his laptop inside his Corydon-area apartment.

But at lunchtime on Nov. 8, someone broke into his place and stole the computer, and of course, the photos along with it.

WINDOW SMASHED

"I had stepped out for lunch to see a buddy, and I came home to find my front door open," said Schroeder. "I soon found out my bedroom window was smashed and the thieves had exited through the front door."

Gone were Schroeder's computer, a grey Dell laptop, as well as his roommate's brand new Macintosh laptop and a few DVDs

Schroeder's computer also contained business-related material and other photos, but it's the only copies of the funeral photos he's most concerned about.

"They're just irreplaceable," he said. "It's going to be a long, drawn-out process for us and I really wanted to use the photos from that day to make an impact in the state they were killed in to affect their drinking and driving laws."

Schroeder, who made a police report but has yet to hear about any arrests, has twice plastered the city with homemade posters asking whoever stole the computer or may have bought it from the thief to contact him -- no questions asked. He is also offering a reward.

No one has responded yet, except for a Sun reporter who saw his poster yesterday and thought a story might help. "They can set up any kind of rendezvous that they want, I don't care. I just want it back," he said.

Anyone who knows how Schroeder can get the computer or photos back can call him at 295-2681.