Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Saturday, August 10, 2013
(SULLIVAN) - More than 400 tablet computers were stolen this week from North Central Junior/Senior High School near Farmersburg, leaving the school’s district without 95 percent of the innovative learning devices that were to be used when school opens next week.
Harold Bosstick, of the Sullivan Daily Times reports, police and school officials say more than $200,000 worth of iPads were taken from North Central's student service room, which was broken into sometime late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
The school's technology staff discovered the thefts when they arrived to work around 7:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Northeast School Corp. Superintendent Mark Baker says 95 percent of the IPads were stolen which were to be used by high school students, 30 were for elementary schools and 12 were for teachers.
Sullivan County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Dave Haddix says a window to the student service room was broken out, possibly with trash barrels found on school property.
Police believe it was likely done by more than one person, with someone passing the electronics out the window to another person.
Haddix says his department along with Indiana State Police and NESC are working with the manufacturer -- Apple -- to locate the stolen devices; however, he didn't release specifics since it's an ongoing investigation.
The incident is a major setback for the school district, as its two high schools were about to begin year two of moving from traditional textbooks to the tablet computers. All schools in the district open Wednesday.
Baker says after receiving the IPads , the corporation only kept a small number of textbooks - which will have to be shared until the matter is resolved.
Haddix says the thieves took not only the tablets, but cases, chargers and computer monitors.
Baker added that, pending recovery of the devices, purchasing new ones will fall under the corporation's property/casualty insurance.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.