ONTARIO COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOL durham region news: ajax, pickering, whitby, oshawa, scugog, uxbridge and clarington newspapers

Police make appeal for info in stolen computer probe

Feb 27, 2007

AJAX -- Police are seeking information from the public, including parents of students, as they continue to investigate the theft of laptop computers from an Ajax high school.

IBM Think Pad laptops have been stolen from Pickering High School on Church Street North on two occasions over the past several months, Durham police said. The first theft occurred during an overnight break-in last November, when someone gained access to the school's Academic Resource Centre and took several computers.

Another break-in occurred overnight Jan. 17, when 20 laptops were stolen from the resource centre and the school's main office, police said. This time, the culprits left behind graffiti that included the words "St. Mikez".

Total value of the stolen computers and damage caused during the break-ins has been set at $60,000. Police believe the thefts were carried out by someone who has knowledge of the school and where the computers were stored.

Police are hoping to hear from anyone who has information about the incidents, including parents of students who have recently come into possession of a laptop computer.

Anyone with information can call 905-579-1520, ext. 2524, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.