CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.modbee.com/2012/05/06/2188468/painful-lesson-theft-robs-rio.html


Sunday, May. 06, 2012
Painful lesson: Theft robs Rio Linda High students of creative work
By Melody Gutierrez
mgutierrez@sacbee.com


When 11 computers, a television and recording equipment were stolen from Joe Clark's classroom at Rio Linda High School last week, the teacher turned the break-in into a lesson.

"I want to show them you have to fight for what you believe is important," Clark said.

So, Clark is doing his part to try to retrieve the stolen property or identify who took it.
Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521. Follow her on Twitter @MelodyGutierrez.



He's scouring eBay and Craigslist for anyone selling similar equipment. He gathered the model numbers of the equipment so he could alert local pawn shops to be on the lookout.

And he's even been monitoring Twitter for anyone boasting of the theft, which police say occurred at 4 a.m. Monday.

"All of the students' work, their archived projects, it's all gone," said Clark, who teaches classes in computer graphics, sound engineering and advanced digital media.

Clark said there was personal information about the students on the computers. The Twin Rivers Police Department is investigating the theft.

In all, the computers (nine PCs and two Macs), two recording stations, a flat-screen television and six keyboards were taken. The estimated cost to replace the equipment is $28,000, Clark said.

"All my work for graphic design I did, pictures I took, those are all gone," said Sergiy Farbitnikov, a Rio Linda High senior. "I was working on a group government project that involved a video I was editing. That was stolen."

Clark said his hope is to recover the computers before his students' work is deleted.

"Or if we only find out who did it and the students get closure," he said.

Twin Rivers school district spokeswoman Trinette Marquis, who is also spokeswoman for the district's Police Department, said officers are "actively working several leads."

Marquis said Police Department officials could not comment further because it is an active investigation.

Anyone with information about the theft can call Twin Rivers police dispatch at (916) 566-2770.