FLORIDA COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.wftv.com/news/25962615/detail.html

24 Mac Computers, 20 Cameras Stolen From School

Posted: 3:45 pm EST November 30, 2010

ORLANDO, Fla. -- WFTV found out thieves are ripping off a growing number of Orange County schools. The newest theft happened during Thanksgiving break at Howard Middle School (see map), where someone stole $60,000 in computers and electronics.

School officials told WFTV they don't know how the thieves did it.

Principal Bill Cartwright said thieves cleaned out the digital media lab at Howard Middle School. Twenty-four Mac computers, 10 digital cameras and 10 camcorders were stolen. He saved three years to build up the lab with tools that teach students digital production, music theory and composition.

Seventy-five percent of his students are from homeless shelters and Parramore.

"Everything they've done this year, all of their work is completely gone," Cartwright said.

Orlando police believe thieves got into the school not once, but four times during Thanksgiving break. Investigators are still going through video from 48 different cameras.

There was reportedly no sign of forced entry and silent alarms never went off. Police don't have a clear suspect yet, but even the students are speculating.

"Not many people outside of school know that we have a Mac lab," student Molly Olson said.

The Mac is attractive because it's valuable and it's easy to set up, and that may have worked to the thieves' advantage. All they had to do was unplug it, grab the computer and all of that could be done in a matter of seconds.

"The people that did this clearly weren't thinking about the 300 students that go to this school," parent Robin Olson said.

The district is self-insured, but officials are still checking to see if the equipment is fully-covered. If so, we're told it could take at least two months to replace.