By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — Seven Dell laptop computers were stolen from the Caroline Kennedy Library Nov. 30.
The library’s alarm went off just after 6 a.m. and the library Director Mike McCaffery was contacted by the alarm company, according to the police report. When McCaffery ordered testing done and still the alarm tripped again, he went to check on the library.
Upon arrival, about 6:30 a.m., he walked around the inside and noticed that items were moved, stolen and broken. He then contacted police.
When officers arrived, McCaffery showed them to the office area, which had been gone through, and three glass shelves had been knocked over and broken. He also showed an officer the cabinet from which the stolen laptops were stored.
The officer noticed the window in the north central part of the building had been broken with a rock. There also was a red substance found on one of the walls inside of the library.
Along with the computers, a children’s device used for learning the alphabet and numbers also was stolen. A black wallet with a library card belonging to a male was found under the desk where the stolen device was kept.
Further investigation showed that the power breaker had been tripped, from an unknown cause, causing the camera and computer system to shut down, the report stated. McCaffery was able to reboot the camera system but couldn’t retrieve video from the time of the theft.
It is possible that the cameras shut down just after 11 p.m., according to the report.
A worker for the Public Works Department was sent to check the roof of the building and noticed that the access hatch was closed and shut but not locked. Witnesses said they saw children running through the parking lot on the morning of the incident.
There was no other damage or items missing.
Police have no suspect information.
Anyone with information about the incident can call Dearborn Heights police at 313-277-6770.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)