Nearly $4,000 in 20-inch iMacs stolen from education building

By Wade Allen
Editor
Oct. 15, 2009

Photo by Wade Allen

Two 20-inch iMac computers, just like this one, were stolen from the education building on two separate occasions between Sept. 28 and Oct. 2. According to Dr. Bob Orr, associate vice chancellor for information resources and chief information officer, the iMacs were valued between $1,600 and $1,700 each.

Two 20-inch iMac computers are missing after thefts on two separate occasions in the education building.

“These are big [computers],” UNCP Police Detective Ed Locklear said. “It’s a different thing than a laptop where someone would put it in a backpack.”

Two thefts
According to Dr. Bob Orr, associate vice chancellor for information resources and chief information officer, the two iMacs were stolen on two separate occasions - one during the first part of the week of Sept. 30 and one at the end of the week.

“One was on Friday [Oct. 2], I believe,” Dr. Orr said. “The other was stolen the first part of the week.”

Valuable machines
According to Dr. Orr, the computers are valued at between $1,600-$1,700 each.

“It had to be deliberate,” Dr. Orr said. “They had cut security cables.”

He said that it was very likely that the items were removed from the classrooms and taken down the stairway because if the iMacs had been taken down the elevator, chances are, someone would’ve seen the theft in progress.

Looking for leads
Locklear said that he hoped “someone saw something and can give us a lead.”

“We ask for people to report suspicious persons or activities,” he said. “We’d much rather check to see if everything’s alright.”

During the day
According to Locklear, the education building is open Monday- Friday between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Dr. Orr said that he believes installing security cameras in the education building would prevent further thefts.

“We did request campus safety security to put cameras in the stairways,” Dr. Orr said.

Locklear said that no plans were made “right now at this moment” for installing security cameras in the building.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to do something like that,” Locklear said.

Dr. Orr remained optimistic about the replacement of the two computers, despite currently dealing with a big budget crunch.

“I’m hopeful that we can replace those [computers],” he said.