UTAH COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOL ksl.com - Utah's Online Source for Local News & Information Computers and Sewing Machines Stolen from School

Computers and Sewing Machines Stolen from School

November 27th, 2006 @ 4:39pm

Sam Penrod Reporting

About 25-thousand dollars worth of computers and sewing machines are missing from a Provo middle school. Two men got into the school and stole them over the long weekend.

There was no actual break-in to the school. The burglars had keys to the school, raising questions about whose keys they were. The suspects were caught on school security cameras while they committed the crime.

Surveillance video of Centennial Middle School in Provo shows the two men in the school, wearing disguises, stealing about 25- thousand dollars worth of school property.

Mitch Swenson, Principal, Centennial Middle School: "From what we can tell they had keys, they accessed everything with keys, so they were able to come and go as they pleased. That narrows down who might have access because it had to be a master key. Just a teacher's key wouldn't get them in and the rooms they had access to."

The burglary was discovered on Saturday when a teacher noticed 16 sewing machines were missing. It was later discovered that 17 laptop computers were also taken.

Outside camera footage does give investigators an idea of what they were driving.

Mitch Swenson: "It appears as if it's a dark colored minivan, late model, because they loaded the equipment on the driver's side, so it had a sliding door on the driver's side."

The suspects are described as being in their 20's. They were wearing green army coats and blue jeans and one had a black hat with an alien symbol on it.

Mitch Swenson, Principal, Centennial Middle School: "It's unfortunate how it impacts students. The laptops missing from our portable lab for our special-ed students; and the sergers and sewing machines certainly impact our sewing program where we have six classes a day of sewing."

Police say all of the keys are accounted for, they are trying to decide if one was illegally copied. The school district is offering a one thousand dollar reward for information that results in the arrest of the suspects or the recovery of thestolen property.