NEW MEXICO COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/local/central/2-APS-janitors-arrested-for-stealing-dr?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+krqe-topstories+%28KRQE+News+13+-+Top+Stories%29

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2 APS janitors arrested for theft

5 laptops taken from Harrison Middle School

Updated: Thursday, 20 Jan 2011, 2:56 PM MST
Published : Thursday, 20 Jan 2011, 1:00 PM MST

Reporter: David Romero

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Smile! Your on camera. That's what led Albuquerque Public Schools police to arrest two school custodians for allegedly stealing 5 laptop computers from Harrison Middle School. Four of the computers have still not been recovered, but one was found with one of the men police arrested.

David Andrade, 31, and Jacob Sandoval, 21, were arrested Wednesday on a list of charges that include conspiracy and larceny over $2,500 as well as receiving and transporting stolen property.

APS released surveillance video on Thursday that shows two men they believe to be Andrade and Sandoval pulling boxes identified to be computers from a locked closet at Harrison Middle School an hour before their shift ended on January 12.

APS police say they were able to identify the men in the video by their faces and clothes they were wearing, which appear to be work shirts worn by maintenance workers from APS.

Police later confronted Andrade and Sandoval separately at work last Friday. Both denied knowing about the stolen computers, but police say Sandoval had an Apple iMac laptop with him which he admitted was from the school. Police say its APS identity number had been scratched off.

The estimated value of the stolen computers is nearly $6,000.

"It's very concerning because they're employees of APS," said APS Police Sgt. Carla Gandara. "They belonged to the school and the students and they're very expensive laptops."

APS police believe Andrade and Sandoval entered the closet using a key which they weren't authorized to have and only four others at the school have. If that's the case, investigators will be looking into how they got their hands on one of those keys.

Both men have been placed on paid administrative leave with APS. They are scheduled for a due-process meeting Friday, and further action will be taken next week.

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COtransplant says:

January 20, 2011, 5:15PM

Doesn't matter what the price is, what matters is these two, fine, upstanding citizens (if they are citizens) broke the law and stole supplies from school children. How low can you get? It seems a fair number of New Mexicans have no scruples when it comes to breaking laws.