PHILADELPHIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM PUBLIC LIBRARYWPVI.com: Theft at Public Library
Theft at Public Library
November 12, 2004 — A public library on the Main-Line is struggling to recover after being hit by thieves. Thousands of dollars in computer equipment was stolen and the search continues for the culprit.

VIDEO: Denise James reports

Less than a year after the Luddington Library in Bryn Mawr spent thousands of dollars for computers, the bulk of them have been stolen.

Burglars broke through a Ludington Library's rear window and stole 9 computers. Eight were internet stations with a screen, tower, keyboard and mouse and one server controlling the printer and internet access. All were for free use by the public.

Margery Hall/HEAD LIBRARIAN:

"I think it's a shame that something the library is trying to provide for free for anyone to be able to come in and use them, that we would be targeted this way."
Bryn Mawr's public libraries computer network indicates the Ludington computers may have been snatched off line at about 3am Tuesday morning.
Capt. Michael McGrath/LOWER MERION POLICE:

"It does appear somebody planned this. Obviously a library or similar type of place to find a lot of equipment in one central location."
Adam Miller/ROSEMONT, PENNSYLVANIA]

"I think we should rectify things with all speed and pursue the perpetrators."
No suspects have surfaced yet. But in case any of the stolen computers do, the serial numbers have been fed into a national crime information system. Purchased last December with grant money, it could cost more than 20-thousand dollars to replace them. Usually there are 4 to 5-thousand sign ups each month to use the Ludington branch computers. Now they're unavailable.
Marcia Bass/LUDINGTON LIBRARY:

"Usually from when we open to when we close, people do job searches, people that can't afford to own computers. And everybody has not only been sad about it but they just feel it's a personal loss that somebody would steal from the library that everybody uses."
It didn't take long for word to get out, that the high demand computers were gone. Police are hoping word gets out about the stolen computers and they're spotted.