WEST VIRGINIA (UPDATE) COMPUTERS STOLEN The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia - Computers stolen from local office:

Published: July 16, 2008 10:42 pm

Computers stolen from local office

Amelia A. Pridemore
Register-Herald Reporter

Beckley Police say a city health care business was burglarized last week with about $5,000 in laptop computers and other electronics taken.

Then, two men unsuccessfully tried to pawn one of the computers the same day, police say.

Last Thursday, employees at Res-Care on Grey Flats Road arrived at work around 8 a.m. to find several offices ransacked, said Detective Sgt. David Allard of the Beckley Police Department. Laptop computers, as well as a Microsoft projector and other computer equipment were missing.

Patrolman B.L. Fuller took the initial report, Allard said. Fuller called local pawn shops, and he found out two male suspects visited Gold ‘n’ Pawn at Beckley Crossing right after the burglary was discovered. The men were trying to sell what is believed to be one of the stolen laptops.

Per a city ordinance that requires pawn shop owners to document purchases and report them to law enforcement, the pawn shop clerk attempted to gather information about the men — who then decided to not sell the computer, Allard said.

The two men in the pawn shop are described as white men, in their early-to-mid-20s with average builds, Allard said. One man had blond-to-brown hair, possible facial hair and wore a shirt with a large smiley face on it. The other suspect had dark brown hair and, possibly, a full beard.

Those with information about this case are encouraged to call the Beckley Police Department at 256-1708 or Crime Stoppers at 255-7867.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com