FLORIDA POLICE SEEK PUBLIC'S HELP IN TRACKING DOWN COMPUTER THEFT RING Police Ask Public For Help After 60 Laptops Stolen - News

ORLANDO, Fla. -- More than 60 laptop computers were stolen from office buildings in downtown Orlando. Detectives believe they have an organized ring of burglars targeting local businesses.

Orlando police have been tracking the computer thefts for almost a year and are asking for the public's help to crack the case.

First, investigators want to know if anyone recognizes a man, whose surveillance image was released, believed to be a suspect in at least two of the cases. They also want to know if you've come across piles of laptops and who may be storing or re-selling them.

Building after building after building, at least 16 were hit in the last year. What's missing is more valuable than money. Stolen technology can paralyze a business.

"Just the information and the fact that people can't move forward with their business, because now they've got a huge disruption, so it affects everybody," said Sgt. Barbara Jones, Orlando Police Department.


A burglar took 33 computers from a law firm inside the AmSouth building in January. Another at the SunTrust building had nine stolen this month. Buildings have been hit all over Orlando.

A camera at the Day building captured a man walking out with nine laptops. They said he'd spent about 16 hours inside.

"They'll wait till the business closes and move around inside and, if the business isn't alarmed for motion sensors, you could stay in there forever," Jones said.

Police said the thieves may be after personal information. But many of the laptops have encryption devices and, because the power cords are also missing, the thieves are more likely targeting the computers themselves, possibly to sell outside the area, but there has to be a middleman collecting them locally.

"We just haven't found them anywhere, so that's one of the ideas. We think there's a group involved and they may be moving them," Jones said.

Police said there has to be several people who know about the operation. If you call Crimeline with information that leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a thousand dollar reward. The number is 800-423-TIPS. You can also make an anonymous tip at their website.