GEORGIA COMPUTER THEFT IN SCHOOLS A PROBLEMWelcome to NorthFulton.Com: News covering the North Fulton area including Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek, and Forsyth.More N. F. school laptops disappear
Burglaries continue, authorities search for solid leads


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BY CANDY WAYLOCK
Waylock5@aol.com

Frustration is mounting for law enforcement authorities as school break-ins continue with no solid leads pointing police to the thieves who have lifted over $200,000 worth of electronics from 25 Fulton County schools since June.
"I wish I could tell you we have a big break, but that`s not the case," said Det. Marc McGowan, a member of the Major Case Squad for the Fulton County Police Department.
The department is working alongside Roswell, Alpharetta and the Fulton County School System police departments to come up with leads in the series of burglaries that have hit 17 North Fulton schools.
"We`re putting our heads together to try to address the [situation] in the whole North Fulton area," said McGowan.
He noted the group met for the first time last Tuesday, only to have two more break-ins occur that same evening. Elkins Pointe Middle and Hembree Springs Elementary schools were hit, with thieves taking a total of 11 laptops and six desktop computers from the two schools.Based on the value reported in earlier thefts, the value of the most recent equipment is around $27,000.
"It`s been a frustrating case," said McGowan.
Although he was reluctant give too much information about how the burglars are operating, McGowan acknowledged the thefts go beyond the "casual" thief, and point to a more sophisticated ring of people.
"I think this is beyond the juvenile prank," said McGowan. "I obviously don`t know how many people are involved, but it`s our feeling there is some degree of organization. I don`t know if it`s two guys or a network of guys, but they know what they`re doing."
Police are also puzzled by the fact the stolen equipment is not showing up in the usual places, such as pawnshops or on the streets, where stolen goods often wind up.
"Nothing is turning up anywhere, and that is unusual," said McGowan.
He said there is a statewide tracking of pawnshop transactions and other items that end up in the hands of police.
When asked if this means the equipment is leaving the area, or perhaps the country, McGowan did not have an answer. He noted the market for stolen computer equipment is growing smaller since new technology can often identify a computer if it is plugged in, leading authorities to the stolen goods.
Fulton School System officials could not verify if the system`s computers are equipped with such security measures.
The thefts are not unique to Fulton County, but are being reported in other metro area school systems as well. McGowan said the Fulton Police are working with other jurisdictions to determine if there is a link.
"We know it`s happening in other counties and we`re researching those incidents to see if it might be the same guys," said McGowan.
The thieves may also be getting help from someone who either works for the school system or has knowledge of the school system, say authorities.
"There are things pointing us in that direction," said McGowan. "And without getting into the specific aspects about the case, either all or most of the cases are consistent with each other. The [thieves] either know the system or the way the school security works."
Mitzi Edge, communications director for the school system, noted schools have varying levels of security systems in place at each school, which the burglars have been able to bypass.
In the meantime, school administrators are urging teachers and other staff members to take home their laptops at night, as other efforts to secure the laptops appear to be failing to ward off theft. In the latest incident, the thieves broke open locked drawers and closets to get to the items.
"There was an e-mail message to the schools a few weeks ago urging teachers to take their laptops home, and I think the schools will be going back and stressing that message," said Edge.