CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOLS DURING FIRESTORM Thieves Target Schools During Firestorm - Most Popular News Story - KNSD | San Diego


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Thieves Target Schools During Firestorm

Nearly $100K Of Computer Equipment Stolen

POSTED: 5:09 pm PDT November 1, 2007

The crooks made off with nearly $100,000 worth of equipment while the schools shut down for the week. The lab at James Madison Senior High School in Clairemont looks like a regular classroom now that it has been denuded of the iMacs that used to sit atop the desks.

There was a problem with the alarm system there that it didn't go off in that particular area," said San Diego Unified School District spokesman Jack Brandais.

Officials believe thieves snuck in a door and stole 28 brand-new computers valued at $52,000. The thieves left keyboards and mice behind. For the most part, though, the thieves cleaned out the computer lab.

"When the emergency was declared on Monday, our school police activated their emergency operation center, which is right here actually, and went on 12-hour shifts to make sure our school stayed safe and secure," said Brandais.

The break-in at Madison occurred a day after a burglary at Kearny High School, where 22 computers worth $44,000 were stolen.

Officials increased security at schools in the wake of the burglaries.

"They did over 900 security checks over the week and did respond to 100 alarms that went off," said Brandais.

Officials have already ordered replacements for the missing Madison High machines, which should arrive within the next month.

"The district … has a fund for these type of things, and it should be a minimal disruption to the students," Brandais told NBC 7/39.

The heightened security paid off, authorities said, when an attempted burglary at Kroc Middle School was foiled.