TENNESSEE COMPUTERS STOLEN Herald-Citizen Online Edition - Cookeville, TN

Computers stolen

Mary Jo Denton

Herald-Citizen Staff

Friday, Dec 21, 2007

BAXTER -- Thieves have been sneaking computers out of Upperman High one at a time since last summer, taking at least 17 iMac desktops valued at more than $20,000, school officials say.

The case is now under investigation by the Putnam Sheriff's Department as well as by school officials who have been working to determine serial and other identification numbers of the units stolen.

The thefts have been carried out "a little at a time" over a period dating back to the school's summer break.

"There has been no break-in at the school," said Deputy Director of Schools Mike Goolsby. "It's been more a case of somebody would realize that a computer was gone and maybe somebody else would say another one was missing and over time, they realized that several computers were missing."

Sheriff's Deputy Larry Bennett filed a report on the case yesterday and noted that "at least 17 iMac computers are missing from different locations in the school."

Deputy Bennett said school officials have been working to determine the serial numbers of all the machines and so far, have collected data on seven.

"We are not sure when they were taken, but it has been over a period of time," Goolsby said.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Putnam Sheriff's Department.