USC Upstate seeks FBI's help with computer thefts
School says 58 stolen in recent months
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 11:49 p.m.
The University of South Carolina Upstate on Wednesday consulted the FBI about a rash of classroom computer thefts that have taken place on campus over the past six months.
The State Law Enforcement Division also has been contacted about the thefts, which began in August and continued Tuesday when 12 computers were discovered stolen -- two of which were confirmed happened Tuesday afternoon. Overall, 58 computers -- most of them desktops -- from eight buildings have disappeared. The total value of the computers is just over $38,000, said Jeanne Skul, vice chancellor for information technology.
"We believe that it is someone either within our community or who has been fed information from within our community," USC Upstate Chief of Police Klay Peterson said, "because they seem to know patterns, times, where cameras are located, when classes end and start."
Peterson said the university was hardest hit from October to December, before campus police beefed up security measures that included the installation of additional surveillance, re-assigning parking officers and using student cadets to patrol buildings and lock up classrooms.
"We basically have everybody that we have available assisting with this," Peterson said.
The crimes began to subside after two more events in January, Peterson said - until this week's heists.
Faruk Tanyel, a business professor and chairman of the USC Upstate faculty senate, said that while he believes campus police is doing all it can, he recently urged faculty in an email to "take ownership" of the problem by helping to ensure all classrooms are locked when not in use and then unlocking them before the start of classes.
"We all have to be vigilant," Tanyel said. "We can't all expect one party to do all of their share."
Tanyel said the thefts have created a hardship on the faculty, some of whom have been locked out of their classrooms when they need them. Tanyel also likes to get to class early to prepare a lecture, set up equipment or chat with students.
"Now I will not have that ability," he said, "and if we make this somebody else's problem, it's going to be unfair. That's why the burden is on all of us (faculty)."
All the computers taken have been replaced, Skul said, except the dozen reported missing on Tuesday.
Peterson and Skul said they think most of the thefts have taken place in late afternoon or early evening. Peterson said faculty in a couple of buildings have been particularly strict about locking their classrooms, and they've had no thefts in those buildings.
"We really feel that this is going to take a total community effort to solve this," Peterson said. "It's a tough case."
He added that his department has identified a couple people of interest, but has no solid leads. Spartanburg County sheriff's deputies are also assisting.
"All of our resources are dedicated to this," Peterson said, "and obviously we're hoping this person will make a mistake or someone in the community will come forward with some information that will assist us in this ongoing investigation."
Anyone with information on the thefts should call 503-5271 or fill out an anonymous crime report form at http://www.uscupstate.edu/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=ekfrm&ItemID=7898.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment