Black market computer fear

By Kath Gannaway
MARYSVILLE Primary School principal Peri Dix has urged people to resist the temptation to buy “under the counter” computers.
Her appeal comes after thieves stole six new specialist computers from the school in the early hours of Tuesday 24 August.
Marysville police, responding to a report of an alarm just after 5am, found thieves had broken a window to get into the classroom and, it appears, loaded the computers into a vehicle and fled.
Acting Sergeant Ian Thompson said it was a “low act” to steal computers from school children who have already gone through so much.
“It’s disappointing thieves are targeting a school from a community that is still trying to get back on its feet after the devastating bushfires of Black Saturday,” he said.
Ms Dix said the white, touch-screen computers, valued at about $1000 each, were purchased specifically with younger children in mind.
“We’re terribly disappointed. The result is it stops children from having access to a wonderful learning experience, which they may have had if the computers were still here,” she said.
She said, however, that while Marysville was in the news because of the theft, it was something that many schools suffer… in silence.
“A lot of schools get broken into on a regular basis and have equipment stolen,” she said.
“It is reported to police and they do their best but, unfortunately, it seems this type of equipment just disappears into thin air.”
She said very few of the thefts attract media coverage.
Ms Dix said the school had a highly sophisticated alarm system, as do all schools.
“They knew what they were after, how to target it, how to get in and how to get out quickly,” she said.
Police and Ms Dix have urged people to think twice before buying a computer, or anything else, which is offered at a price which seems too good to be true.
“If anybody gets offered a cheap computer, I would say to them, think where did it come from, and what child misses out,” Ms Dix said.
Police are asking anyone who noticed anyone near the school, or any vehicle leaving the area around 5.10am, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or phone Alexandra CIU on 5772 1667.