ONTARIO RECENT RASH OF COMPUTER THEFT CASES AT WATERLOO BUSINESSES THERECORD.COM | INSIDER | Store owners turn break-in into a positive:

WATERLOO (May 3, 2007)

Sandi Loytomaki and Suzanne Botsford aren't angry at whoever broke into their Waterloo store last week, stealing a computer monitor and damaging store supplies.

Instead, they are grateful for the lessons they have learned.

The thief must be 'walking a pretty hard road right now if this is what he has to do to get ahead,' said Loytomaki, owner of Holly Oak, located at 24 Regina St. N. in Waterloo.

The store, which Loytomaki describes as a 'conscious living' or a 'health and wellness, personal development, spiritual development and human potential' store, was broken into about 4:30 a.m. last Friday after thieves threw a rock through a side window.

Instead of being angry, Loytomaki and Botsford are channelling their energy into something positive. They are encouraging customers to write down something in their life they'd like to transform.

Then, on a separate piece of paper, customers write down what they'd like to replace that moment with.

When the store window is replaced in the next couple of weeks, Loytomaki and Botsford will hold a celebration ceremony to rid people of what is no longer wanted.

So far, three customers have written notes, which are placed in a bowl near the broken window. The window is covered with a wooden sign that reads "Transformation Station" and "transforming the world one step at a time."

The rock that was used to break the window sits on the ledge.

A sign above says store staff have "had some great teachers this week -- and are grateful for the lessons they shared with us."

Botsford, the store's manager, said the thieves made a choice when they broke into Holly Oak and that "reminds us of the daily choices we have."

As well, such an incident should remind us all that "we need to slow down, we need to acknowledge what we do have," Botsford said.

Waterloo regional police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel said officers are investigating this incident and looking to see if it's related to other local break-ins where computer items were stolen.

Just after midnight on April 24, two men broke into the Regional Community Health building on Regina Street South through the front door. The thieves broke into several offices and stole laptop computers.

In this case, the male suspects were caught on surveillance tape. The first is described as a white man in his 20s with short hair. He was wearing a dark shirt, light-coloured Nike hat and was pulling a duffle bag on wheels.

The second is described as a black man in his 20s. He was wearing a dark baseball hat, a white T-shirt with a sports logo on the front and dark jeans. This suspect pulled his shirt up over his face while the thefts were occurring. Police released the video surveillance of these suspects yesterday.

At 4 a.m. on April 24, computer equipment and a monitor were stolen from Laura Sharpe Flowers on King Street West. Thieves gained entry by smashing a window.

Another break and enter took place early yesterday morning at Ontario Die International on Gage Avenue near Belmont Street. Thieves broke in through a door about 2 a.m. and stole computers and other electronic items.

"Police are investigating possible links between them," Heinzel said of the incidents.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-653-7700, ext. 3399.

cgreeno@therecord.com