NEW JERSEY COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2011/03/10/south_brunswick_post/news/doc4d78182191468283512407.txt
SOUTH BRUNSWICK - Police: Custodian stole computers
DATE POSTED: Thursday, March 10, 2011 1:05 AM EST
By Charles W. Kim
The head custodian at Brunswick Acres Elementary School was charged Tuesday with stealing computers from the district during the last two years, according to police.
George Elliott, 55, of Marlboro, a 20-year employee of the district, was arrested at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Board of Education office on Blackhorse Lane and charged with theft and theft of computers, according to a press release from police.
According to police, detectives have been investigating the theft of electronic items in the district for the last two years.
The thefts, including seven laptop computers, were reported throughout the district, but mainly from Brunswick Acres and the high school on Ridge Road, police said.
A break in the case came when one of the Apple laptops reported stolen from the district in 2008 was turned in to the corporation for repairs late last year, Sgt. James Ryan said.
George Elliott, 55, of Marlboro, a 20-year employee of the district, was arrested at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Board of Education office on Blackhorse Lane and charged with theft and theft of computers, according to a press release from police.
According to police, detectives have been investigating the theft of electronic items in the district for the last two years.
The thefts, including seven laptop computers, were reported throughout the district, but mainly from Brunswick Acres and the high school on Ridge Road, police said.
A break in the case came when one of the Apple laptops reported stolen from the district in 2008 was turned in to the corporation for repairs late last year, Sgt. James Ryan said.
Police and district officials had alerts placed on the serial numbers of the stolen items, which were noticed by Apple, who then contacted police, Sgt. Ryan said.
Detectives traced the laptop to a Texas address where they learned the homeowner there purchased the computer on the eBay Internet auction website, Sgt. Ryan said.
Further investigation eventually linked the online seller’s account with Mr. Elliott, he said.
A search warrant for Mr. Elliott’s Marlboro home was executed Tuesday afternoon, and police found another laptop reported stolen from the district in 2009 and an assault rifle, Sgt. Ryan said.
”Mr. Elliott violated the trust of the school community and exploited his position for personal gain,” schools Superintendent Gary McCartney said in the release. “We will do everything in our power to recover every single dime stolen from our district.”
Chief Raymond Hayducka said Mr. Elliott’s actions, if true, were “outrageous” given the time span of the thefts and the abuse of public dollars in the case.
”We will continue to work to identify and charge any person who aided or assisted in these crimes,” Mr. Hayducka said in the release.
Board of Education President Matthew Speesler said the district would be prosecuting Mr. Elliott “to the fullest extent of the law.”
”I am very disappointed that a longtime employee would resort to thievery as a part of his activities in the district,” Dr. Speesler said Wednesday. “I am deeply saddened we have to go down this path.”
Dr. Speesler said that Mr. Elliot’s alleged actions hurt students as well as taxpayers by depriving the district of much-needed resources.
Mr. Elliott was lodged in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick in lieu of $50,000 bail, Sgt. Ryan said.
The investigation by Detective Jeff Russo is continuing. Anyone with information on these alleged crimes is asked to call police at 732-329-4646.
Detectives traced the laptop to a Texas address where they learned the homeowner there purchased the computer on the eBay Internet auction website, Sgt. Ryan said.
Further investigation eventually linked the online seller’s account with Mr. Elliott, he said.
A search warrant for Mr. Elliott’s Marlboro home was executed Tuesday afternoon, and police found another laptop reported stolen from the district in 2009 and an assault rifle, Sgt. Ryan said.
”Mr. Elliott violated the trust of the school community and exploited his position for personal gain,” schools Superintendent Gary McCartney said in the release. “We will do everything in our power to recover every single dime stolen from our district.”
Chief Raymond Hayducka said Mr. Elliott’s actions, if true, were “outrageous” given the time span of the thefts and the abuse of public dollars in the case.
”We will continue to work to identify and charge any person who aided or assisted in these crimes,” Mr. Hayducka said in the release.
Board of Education President Matthew Speesler said the district would be prosecuting Mr. Elliott “to the fullest extent of the law.”
”I am very disappointed that a longtime employee would resort to thievery as a part of his activities in the district,” Dr. Speesler said Wednesday. “I am deeply saddened we have to go down this path.”
Dr. Speesler said that Mr. Elliot’s alleged actions hurt students as well as taxpayers by depriving the district of much-needed resources.
Mr. Elliott was lodged in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick in lieu of $50,000 bail, Sgt. Ryan said.
The investigation by Detective Jeff Russo is continuing. Anyone with information on these alleged crimes is asked to call police at 732-329-4646.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment