NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOL
November 8, 2004 Monday
Final Edition

DURHAM; Pg. B1

412 words


Camera gives clue in school break-in;
Suspect made off with computers, other electronics worth thousands

ERIC OLSON eolson@heraldsun.com; 419-6647


Editor's note: This story is part of an ongoing series on Durham law enforcement's most-wanted fugitives.

Police are seeking a man accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of property last month from the Durham School of the Arts.

Police also still are trying to identify the man, who broke into the school between noon and 11 p.m. Oct. 9.

"I don't know who he is," Detective C.C. Green said.

The man, whose movements were captured by an outdoor security camera located near a breezeway at the rear of the 400 N. Duke St. school, broke a window with a large rock to gain access, according to a Durham police report.

The window led to an office of the school's band room, where the thief pilfered a computer, the report states. He then pried open a teacher's office door and rifled through several desk drawers.

The suspect later entered a classroom, where he "neatly disconnected" three computers. In a second classroom, he stole another computer and the teacher's stereo, wristwatch and digital camera, the police report says.

The thief also stole a pair of Converse tennis shoes, size 7 1/2 , from an office area before leaving the building.

In all, the burglar stole $4,480 worth of property from the school, police reported.

Green said he has checked area pawnshops for the stolen property, but nothing has turned up.

He needs to identify the suspect, he said, so he can track him down, charge him with the crimes and possibly recover the stolen goods.

"That picture is pretty good," Green said. "They ought to be able to identify him from that."

The man will face charges of felonious breaking and entering and felonious larceny after breaking and entering, Green said.

Anyone with information about the burglary, the stolen property or the suspect is asked to call Green at 560-4317, ext. 286, or CrimeStoppers at 683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases. Callers do not have to give their names.