Crime & Safety

30 iPads Stolen from Murray Manor Elementary School

iPads stolen from Murray Manor Elementary School this weekend were worth approximately $15,000. The loss will impact students' ability to learn, said principal Gina Miller.

Approximately 30 iPads were stolen from a sixth grade classroom at Murray Manor Elementary School this weekend, according to Lt. Matt Nicholass with the La Mesa Police Department.

"It's unfortunate and it's also disheartening," said Principal Gina Miller. "We only had one class set of iPads on campus for a sixth grade classroom with a wonderful teacher from about 800 children."

The iPads were taken from a lockbox at 8305 El Paso St. between 8:45 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Monday, Nicholass said. A fence was cut and window broken in the process, Miller said.

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"The children are really disappointed and upset, and understandably so," she said. "It is disheartening that anyone would steal from scholars but I guess it is what it is."

The theft impacts students' ability to learn, Miller said, and the devices helped the school meet education standards that require technology in classrooms. Altogether the iPads are worth approximately $15,000, Miller said.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We hope someone hears something so we get them back," she said.

iPads were also stolen from La Mesa Dale Elementary School last month.

On Aug. 19 seven iPads and a computer were reported stolen from La Mesa Dale Elementary School, Nicholass said.

A week later, Victor Dontigny, 18, was arrested and charged with stealing the devices.

Anyone with information about the theft at Murray Manor is asked to call the La Mesa Police Department at 619-667-7516 or Crime Stoppers' anonymous toll-free tip line at 888-580-TIPS or www.sdcrimestoppers.com.

"We definitely would like to solve this crime as quickly as we can before these things get sold at auctions or swap meets," Nicholass said.


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