NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTERS STOLEN Richmond County Daily Journal - Housing Authority on the hook for laptops:

Housing Authority on the hook for laptops
by Philip D. Brown

Rockingham Housing Authority Interim Director Jim McCaskill said Monday the RHA will most likely have to pay for two of the three missing laptop computers from the 21st Century Program, but the former director is on the hook for one.

However, several times during the course of a 10-minute interview he reiterated the point that it is not the opinion of the RHA that former 21st Century Program Director Bruce Stanback, or any of the program’s staff, stole the computers.

Attempts to reach Stanback Monday were unsuccessful.

McCaskill pointed out all other equipment was accounted for, and offered a timeline concerning the computers, saying he was informed that one of the computers had been stolen, but went unreported to law enforcement, by Stanback when he was dismissed from the program.

After that Friday, there was nearly a week that transpired before the last of the personal items had been collected by the staff, and the keys to the locking cabinet the laptops were stored in were turned over to McCaskill, he recounted.

“I’d already informed (21st Century Program Consultant Ed) Bell that one computer was missing, but when I checked on the computers, I found that one side of the locking cabinet was unlocked, and the other side was locked,” McCaskill said.

He said he had no list of how many computers there should be, but tried to piece together the evidence by the numbers on them. There were almost 20 laptops in total.

“I determined there may have been as many as six missing from the numbers they were assigned,” he said. “When Mr. Bell came, he had a list of how manycomputers there should be, and he found that three were missing.”

McCaskill explained Stanback’s final paycheck was being withheld until all the equipment and records from the program were accounted for.

According to RHA records, Stanback’s weekly salary was $826.90.

“It is highly unlikely that the computers came up missing during those few days in between the dismissal and when we received the keys,” he said. “However, I am not going to hold someone responsible for something that theoretically could’ve taken place after they were gone, so we are going to be responsible for the other two, but (Stanback) will have to pay for the one. If he’d reported itstolen he wouldn’t have to.”

McCaskill said the chances the property will be recovered “are slim to none at this point,” but hopes taxpayers won’t be held accountable for the price of a newcomputer since these computers were about two years old.

“I am asking that DPI charge a depreciated value for these computers, since they were used,” he said. “Some people depreciate the value of a computer immediately after its purchased.”

Rockingham Police Chief Robert Voorhees said there have been no new developments in the department’s attempts to recover the property.

“As always, anyone with information about criminal activity or stolen property is encouraged to call the Rockingham Police Department at 895-2468,” Voorhees said. “If they wish to remain anonymous, they can call Crimestoppers at 997-5454.”