MICRONESIA COMPUTER THEFTS http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=93491&cat=1

Saturday, September 12, 2009

LOCAL

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Number of laptop theft cases on the rise

By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter

Copper wire theft cases are still a problem on Saipan, but laptop computer theft incidents are noticeably on the rise on the island.

Sources at the Department of Public Safety disclosed to Saipan Tribune that investigators are looking into the strong possibility that the rising number of laptop theft cases is related to methamphetamine or “ice” addiction.

Laptop thieves, sources said, sell the computers at very cheap prices to support their addiction to “ice.”

Worse, sources said, these thieves usually victimize foreigners and students by breaking into their apartments.

DPS has yet to respond to Saipan Tribune's inquiry about the rise of laptop theft incidents.

Last Sunday, Edwin Jota, an employee at Aquarius Beach Tower, said that someone broke into their apartment in Chalan Kiya and stole their Sony Vaio laptop worth over $700. Jota said the burglar or burglars also stole his PS2 game, his wife's assorted jewelry, and his children's two PSP games. The total value of the stolen items was over $2,000, according to Jota.

Jota said he heard that many people, mostly foreigners, have been victimized by these laptop thieves.

The victim suggested that DPS detectives interrogate those they've arrested so they will learn how the thieves operate, identify the buyers, recover the laptops, and return them to the rightful owners.

Saipan Tribune learned that about 10 theft cases involving laptops have occurred at apartments in Finasisu and San Vicente alone in the past few months. These cases were not reported to the media.

An apartment occupant in San Vicente recently offered a $1,000 cash reward to anyone who could return his laptop.

Over the weekend, police arrested a teenager who allegedly stole a laptop computer from a barracks in San Antonio.

It was earlier reported that police officers recovered the Gateway laptop, worth $900, owned by a 27-year-old Chinese woman. But court documents show that the laptop had not been recovered.