ARKANSAS 11 COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM BUSINESSThe Times Record - Fort Smith, ArkansasReward Offered In Burglary
By John Lyon
times record • jlyon@swtimes.com


A $500 reward has been offered for information in the burglary of a Fort Smith business.


The office of Evans Enterprises, an electronics repair business at 4300 Planters Road, was burglarized sometime between noon Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday, according to a police report. Items taken included 11 computers, several other items of electronic equipment, two large tool chests full of tools, and cash. No customers’ property was reported taken.


The loss was estimated at $66,291, according to the report.


No sign of forced entry was found on the exterior doors, although several doors inside the building were kicked open. It appeared that someone used a crane belonging to the business to load items onto a truck, Fort Smith police Sgt. Jarrard Copeland said.


“It looked like somebody knew what they were doing in there,” he said.


Every computer in the building was taken, along with several other items critical to the daily operation of the business, according to Daniel Stewart, regional vice president for Evans Enterprises.


“It’s almost like somebody’s trying to put us out of business, for a little while, anyway,” Stewart said.


The burglar or burglars apparently had a key to the building, Stewart said. Police are looking into the possibility that an employee or former employee was involved.


Most of the stolen computers are new Dell computers with 19-inch flat-screen monitors, Stewart said. Copeland said police will be checking area pawn shops to see if the computers or any of the other stolen items turn up there.


The business is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the return of the computers or the arrest and prosecution of the person or people responsible, Stewart said. People with information about the case may be eligible for an additional reward if they call Crimestoppers, 78-CRIME, Copeland said.


Calls to Crimestoppers are not recorded, and callers can remain anonymous.