Nearly two dozen new computers, collectively worth thousands of dollars, were stolen last week in a late night burglary from a Catholic elementary school in Howard Beach last week.
According to Monsignor Al LoPinto, pastor of the St. Helen’s Roman Catholic School, police determined that burglars apparently broke into the school about 1 a.m. Wednesday morning and took about 19 brand new HP laptops from the school’s classrooms and computer lab. The laptops he said, were valued altogether at about $20,000.
Burglars broke into the school, located on 157th Avenue, through the entrance on 83rd Street. According to Father Robert Keighron, the president of the school, it appears the burglars tried to force their way in through the side doors of the school, as several doors had evidence of attempted forced entry.
Msgr. LoPinto added that he believes that it had to have been more than one robber because it appeared the perpetrators used equipment like an extension cord. He said they exited through a back door.
Officials from the 106th Precinct said Tuesday that their detective squad is currently investigating the matter.
Fr. Keighron said the laptop computers—which were purchased during the summer—were paid for through fundraising efforts and portions of the school’s budget from the last school year. Because of last week’s burglary, the school will have to order new laptops, since the students use the laptops every day for educational purposes.
Police told Fr. Keighron that they would be monitoring the laptops to see if they appeared in any pawn shops.
For roughly 18 months, the school had been budgeting and raising money through fundraisers to add in wireless internet access for the entire building, SMART boards—which are interactive, touch-sensitive whiteboards—in most of the classrooms and increasing the number of laptops and computers available for students. The theft, as expressed by Fr. Keighron was a “major setback”, to his school’s nearly two-year effort to boost its technology program.
The school has also introduced new computer-based classes for students such as software-writing instructional courses, which teach students how to write and program software for computers.
Such efforts, Keighron said, were geared towards getting students ready for the challenges of a technology-driven world.
Regarding the burglary, school officials expressed disappointment that their school was victimized, especially since the computers play a key part in the everyday learning for its students.
“It’s disappointing that a school would be targeted,” Fr. Keighron said of the incident. “Everything we do is to help the children within the community.”
“It’s disturbing… they just showed disrespect to the children… by robbing them of an education,” LoPinto added.
By Jean-Paul Salamanca
Luis Gronda contributed to the reporting.
Forum Newsgroup Photo By Luis Gronda
jp.salamanca@theforumnewsgroup.com
