Aug. 27, 2004 – Smiles lit up the faces of a roomful of fifth graders at Evelyn M. Williams Elementary School on Friday when the computer that had been stolen from their classroom over the summer was returned by police officers.
The brand-new computer was one of four taken from the school in a break-in on Aug. 10. On Friday, police returned three of them.
Eager to begin learning on their new computer, the pupils had nothing but thanks and praise for the police officers. And Principal Carlos McGregor said, "I just can't stop smiling. We are very happy to have the computers back."
Nine days after the computers were stolen from the Estate Paradise school, Street Enforcement Team officers found them, still in the original boxes, while conducting a sting operation in the Frederiksted area. On Friday police held a press briefing and display the equipment before returning it to the school.
"The computers were found in a shed in plain sight," Sgt. Thomas Hannah, police spokesman, said. "They were labeled with the school's name."
Hannah said he could not reveal the shed's location because the investigation that prompted the sting operation is ongoing. "We are working on the arrests," he said.
Police took photographs and recovered fingerprints from the stolen merchandise, he said.
Hannah put out a plea for the return of the fourth computer. Directing his remarks to the thieves or anyone who might have purchased the stolen computer or otherwise have possession of it, he said: "You are taking away the tools necessary to educate our kids; it's affecting their education. You can even be charged with burglary."
Persons found in possession of stolen property can face up to five years in jail plus fines. Hannah pointed to a case last month where an individual was found in possession of a stolen television and was charged.
However, he said, in this case, authorities will allow the stolen computer to be returned without any repercussions. "If you realize that you have made a mistake, bring the computer in to the police or take it back to the school, and that will be that," he said.
McGregor said teachers as well as pupils use the computers. All Williams School classrooms have Internet access, he said, and online research supplements the students' textbook studies. And last school year, the school distributed computerized report cards for the first time. "The teachers input students' grades all year," he said.
Hannah said community involvement is an important key to the prevention of crime. “Every community needs to participate in the Neighborhood Watch Program — watch out for our neighbors, our schools and our children," he said.
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