TENNESSEE COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOLS MyFox Memphis | Dozens of MCS Laptops Reported Stolen

Dozens of MCS Laptops Reported Stolen

Last Edited: Tuesday, 20 Nov 2007, 7:53 PM CST

Created: Tuesday, 20 Nov 2007, 7:53 PM CST

By Melissa Scheffler

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WHBQ FOX13 myfoxmemphis.com) --

Some school-issued laptops could have more value on the streets than they have educational value in the classroom. Dozens are missing from Memphis City Schools and robbers and thieves are to blame.

In September, the city school district announced thousands of students would benefit from a program called the Epic Learning System. It places laptops in schools. Some students even get to take them home to help them study.

But the walk to and from school isn't easy when thieves are after their homework.

Many students walk home everyday with bags that have the Epic Learning logo printed on them. For criminals that logo looks like a bulls eye.

"I had one boy in my classroom say he got jumped... his eye was real red," Shantina Austin said.

Austin said it was all for a laptop.

Her mother said the computer's educational value isn't much on the streets. T o a thief the computers are as good as gold.

"They're laptops, a lot of people want them, and the kids have them," said Carla Lewis. "They figure if they can swindle them out of them, they will."

And it's working.

According the Memphis Police Department, since October at least 30 laptops have been reported stolen by non-violent means.

In 13 cases students said they were robbed of their school-issued laptops.

"Students are walking home after school and somebody will either come out of nowhere or pull-up in a car, jump out and take the laptops either by force or by use of a firearm," Memphis Police Lt. Michael Williams said.

The school district said the Epic laptops were bought with state money and 8,000 students in the district benefit from the new program.

"We have about 800 or 900 laptops that were given to our young people at Melrose," said Melrose Principal LaVaughn Bridges. "And I think out of that 800 or 900, we have maybe about half a dozen, maybe a dozen that have either been taken from students at some point and most of them have been away from school."

The district won't say how many laptops are missing since police are conducting investigations. But Austin is making sure thieves don't have their eyes on her laptop.

"Sometimes I leave it at home so I can be safe, so nobody would hit me for it or anything," Austin said.

The city school district did issue a statement saying it's aware of the thefts and it supports the police investigation.

Eleven striving schools and five non-traditional schools received those Epic laptops.