A burglary was discovered in room PE1-13 on the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 22.  The next morning, Electronics Technician Rashaad McAlpin of Information Technology and Media sent out an email notifying the staff about the break in.  The information in the email was simple, there was a burglary, and the projector, computer, a monitor and a keyboard were stolen.

When contacted about the incident, McAlpin said that the burglary was discovered at 9:30 p.m. while Officer Thomas Howe was going around locking the doors.  Along with the items stolen, there was some minor damage where wires were ripped out of the wall.  While these items are replaceable, they will make life in the classroom difficult in the meantime.

Professor Cindy McGrath teaches Mass Communication in PS1-13 twice a week and uses the lost items in her daily instruction. While she said she knows the items will be replaced because it is not the first time she has experienced theft here at LMC, it never feels good.

“A few years back a whole lab full of Journalism computers was stolen, and then the Graphics Arts computers, too,” she said. “They were all eventually replaced, and I know the projector and podium equipment just taken will be too, but in the interim we will have to adjust our classroom instruction.”

McAplin also believes the loss of these items will cause issues in the class.  “This will affect all classes being held in this room because there will be no audio/video/internet access,” he said. “A lot of instructors utilize blackboard, YouTube, show DVD’s, VCR tapes, etc. during class time.”

The items will be replaced, but replacing these items will take time because of procedures that have to be followed. In the meantime, though, instruction in PE1-13 will have to go on.  The case is currently being investigated by Police Services.  But the department has a strict policy of not discussing open cases, so when contacted, Officer Howe had no comment on the case.