OREGON COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.theworldlink.com/news/local/article_90496539-07f3-5707-81d4-846ec84ae02a.html

Computers stolen from OIMB

Posted: Wednesday, December 8, 2010 11:00 am | (0) Comments

The Coos County Sheriff's Office and the University of Oregon Department of Public Security are investigating a burglary at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology that stripped the school of several research computers, monitors and a camera.

Several days after the incident, OIMB Director Craig Young said the real loss isn't found in the monetary value of the equipment.

'The real damage to us was the impact on the research," Young said.

'Whoever did this did considerable damage to the research endeavor here but probably did not acquire much that would be of value on the used computer market."

Break-in Sunday

The break-in likely occurred Sunday night, when someone entered a research building on Boat Basin Drive on the campus at 63651 Boat Basin Road.

'They broke the door, damaged the lock, managed to get in to one of the places where we have common-use research equipment," Young said.

The area is used by many people on campus, and the laboratory often is made available for visiting scientists from other parts of the U.S. and other countries to conduct research.

The culprit stole the computers and a camera used for taking pictures through microscopes.

Valuable data

The computers, which contain specialized cards, software and lots of data, were integral parts of several microscopes that included a scanning electron microscope and a confocal microscope, Young explained.

'They have huge value to us because of the data and the specialized interfaces with the microscopes that they run."

One of the computers belonged to a nearly 80-year-old scientist from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.

Both Coos County Sheriff's deputies and the University of Oregon are investigating the case, Young said, noting that the thief left evidence behind.

'I'm hopeful (that) will lead to something," Young said.