CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM MOSES HOUSE MINISTRIESDonor lists among items stolen from Moses HouseFriday, October 29, 2004

Donor lists among items stolen from Moses House
By CECILIA POTTS/Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE — Two computer hard drives, a new digital camera and other computer items were reported stolen from the Moses House Ministries, located on Anacapa Road.

The computers that were stolen contained all the nonprofit's donor information, mailing lists and financial information, said Judy Morris, founder of Moses House.

"It was someone who knew where the information was stored," Morris said. Moses House is an organization that finds families to take in unwed mothers.

The call about the theft came in at 10:38 a.m. Wednesday, said Shelly Marbry, public information officer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Deputies are investigating the crime but have identified no suspects.

Morris said that whoever took the items came through a door that was deadbolted.

The theft comes during particularly dire financial times for the nonprofit organization. A recent fund-raiser that was anticipated to bring in more than $150,000, as it had done last year, brought in only $43,000 this year, Morris said.

The nonprofit is $80,000 in debt, Morris explained.

To take up some of the slack, the organization is going to put "The Playhouse" — an ornate, Victorian-style child's playhouse complete with a DVD player and patio furniture — on the market for $30,000.

In the past, Moses House used the sale of raffle tickets for "The Playhouse" as its fund-raiser.

"We are just desperate around here," Morris said.

Anyone with information about the Moses House theft can call the Victorville sheriff's station at 241-2911.