CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.ocregister.com/articles/santa-540326-niguel-stolen.html

Published: Dec. 5, 2013 Updated: 4:02 p.m.

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7 stolen computers returned to Niguel Hills Middle School

By LUKE RAMSETH / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Seven of 24 iMac computers stolen last month from a computer lab at Niguel Hills Middle School in Laguna Niguel were returned Thursday after they turned up in Santa Ana, police said.

Santa Ana police detectives said they received a tip Tuesday that led them to a computer-repair shop on West 17th Street in Santa Ana. They found 18 Apple iPads and 12 iMacs stolen in two burglaries at Hazard Elementary School in Santa Ana between Nov. 22 and Monday and a burglary Nov. 17 at Niguel Hills.

Detectives followed leads to a room at a Budget Inn, where they found an additional 32 iPads stolen from Hazard Elementary, said Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

Javier Cruz Perez, 38, and Christopher Erik Clark, 49, both of Santa Ana, were booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of possession of stolen property. Clark also is suspected of burglary.

Orange County sheriff’s Sgt. Joe Gaul said the Sheriff’s Department is working with Santa Ana police on the investigation and that more computers from Niguel Hills might turn up. Investigators were conducting interviews Thursday and working to match up serial numbers, Gaul said.

“Usually these things spring other suspects involved,” he said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS (847-6227).

Contact the writer: 949-492-0401 or lramseth@ocregister.com