MASSACHUSETTS (UPDATE) COMPUTER EQUIPMENT STOLEN http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12003906345085/pricey-computer-parts-stolen-from-ma-company/

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Pricey computer parts stolen from MA company

Posted: Today at 10:35 pm EDT      Last Updated: Today at 10:57 pm EDT

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LAWRENCE, Mass. -- Pricey computer parts were stolen from a Massachusetts company, and it’s now becoming a cross country investigation.

A worker in a nearby business thought nothing of helping a face he recognized load up what he thought was some old computer equipment.

Police say a fired former employee returned to his old work place and acted like he was doing a delivery at a Lawrence loading dock. He loaded up more than $100,000 worth of computer equipment.

“He duped this individual into thinking that he still worked there and had to make a delivery, and requested that he assisted him,” said Chief John Romero of the Lawrence Police Department.

And when management made the discovery the next day and reviewed the surveillance tape it was clear that one crook was covering his face, even his hands to avoid fingerprints, while his unwitting accomplice just went about his business.

Investigators got his help immediately, and tracked the goods to a computer consignment store.

“We…a search warrant and recovered the items that had been stolen,” said Romero. “But on top of that there had been 57 other items that had been stolen as well. So it’s a total theft here and we’re probably looking at close to a half a million dollars.”

They also got an arrest warrant for 29-year-old Keith Dutton who’s being held on $50,000 bail on more than two dozen charges.

It was a 48 hour investigation that will need much longer to track down the pricey hardware.

“We’ll be going through records trying to retrieve that property…the individual has good records so we’ll know where they went,” said Romero.

Romero has spoken to authorities in Seattle, Washington, and they’ve managed to follow those records and local 43 of those five dozen or so missing computer servers still out there.