COLORADO COMPUTER THIEF WHO STOLE COMPUTERS FROM LAB IDENTIFIED The Coloradoan - www.coloradoan.com - Ft. Collins, CO.:

Computers stolen from school lab; suspect identified
By JASON KOSENA
JasonKosena@coloradoan.com

About $44,000 worth of computer equipment, including 32 computers, was stolen from Fossil Ridge High School during the early morning hours of Jan. 2.

A suspect has been identified and the property returned to the high school, but no charges had been filed as of Tuesday, said Norm Bastian, PSD's director of security.

The district attorney is still determining what charges, if any, might be brought.

"There were 32 computers taken, and the individual has been caught," Bastian said. "The computers have been recovered."

All of the computers were taken from a computer lab at the school, Bastian said.

Citing the ongoing investigation, Bastian declined to say whether the suspect is a student.

The theft was discovered on the morning of Jan. 2 by school staff when they arrived to work.

Every school in the district has a security system in place but there are gaps in each one, as evidenced by the Fossil Ridge theft, Bastian said.

Security cameras line the halls of Fossil Ridge High School including leading into all computer labs.

"(The event) identified a weakness in that system," Bastian said.

It is unknown how the suspect entered the school, which had been closed since Dec. 21. Administrators went back to work Jan. 2.

When contacted, Fossil Ridge's school resource office declined to elaborate on the theft.

As of Tuesday night, Fort Collins police had not released any information on the theft.

If the suspect is a minor and is charged with the thefts, the identity would not be released unless the suspect is charged as an adult.

Principal Deirdre Cook was not available for comment. Bastian referred most questions to Fort Collins police.