More than $93,000 worth of classroom projectors have been stolen on campus since January, raising concern among campus officials about how to stop the unknown thieves.
Eighteen projectors provided by the Instructional Media Center, or IMC, have been stolen this year. That's more than twice the amount of projectors stolen in 2005, and it's only March.
"I am obviously concerned," IMC Director Joan Predko said. "Even if they catch these people, there's more coming down the road."
Predko said other projectors have been stolen from academic departments that provide their own, which aren't included in the 18 stolen from the IMC.
The center reported seven stolen projectors in 2005 and six in 2004.
"There must be a good market for data projectors," Predko said, adding IMC has checked places like eBay but added it's hard to tell if the projectors are ones stolen from MSU.
MSU police have been working with Predko and others at the center to catch thieves and prevent any more thefts.
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor would not disclose the departments' specific strategies, but said they are working closely to solve the problem.
Predko also said the two departments "have some ideas on how we can stop this from happening," but don't want to jeopardize the investigation by revealing too much.
Two IMC managers have been spending a lot of time replacing stolen projectors and protecting others, she said.
"They unfortunately are having to spend time on this, rather than spending time on things I'd like them to spend time on," Predko said.
Most of the projectors have been stolen from locked projector booths in the back of unlocked classrooms, she said.
The projectors are secured by cables and many have alarms. Others have been stolen from carts or from classroom ceilings.
The thefts tend to occur during the late evening and early morning hours, according to MSU police reports.
Alarms cost about $110, said John McDaniel, academic technology coordinator for the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
More than $30,000 worth of technology equipment was stolen from the college last May. Since then, the college has installed alarms on projectors and none have been taken, McDaniel said.
The center has alerted custodial workers in buildings where thefts have occurred to keep an eye out for any possible thefts. Predko also advises students to report any suspicious activity to the MSU police. She warned not to confront anyone who might be stealing a projector, however, to avoid any danger.
Earlier this month, Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan reported on the string of thefts, offering up to $1,000 for anyone with information that would lead to a felony warrant or arrest. Crime Stoppers is a collaborative program between the Lansing Police Department and WLNS, TV 6.
The center might also provide a reward.
Police ask that anyone with information on these crimes call (517) 483-7867.
Melissa Domsic can be reached at domsicme@msu.edu.
