Thief makes off with 33 iPads from Fallbrook High

A thief made off with 33 iPad computers over Easter weekend at Fallbrook High School.

According to Wil Hatcher, chief business officer for Fallbrook Union High School District, workers discovered the loss on Sunday (Easter) morning, April 20 when the Bob Burton Performing Arts Center (PAC) was being prepared for a church that rents the space for services.

“At about 5:30 a.m. a worker discovered the power was off inside the PAC and that a door had been broken into,” said Hatcher. “Inside it was obvious that an iPad cart had been opened and the 33 computers inside had been taken out of it. The worker then found that the power switch had been turned off to the PAC; the burglar probably figured that would disable the alarm.” The Sheriff’s Dept. was contacted at that point.

“When officers arrived, they dusted for fingerprints,” said Hatcher.

According to records, Hatcher said the original purchase price of each iPad was $499. For 33 units, that would equate to a loss of $16,467 – but Hatcher said the district’s insurance company would likely reduce the loss based on depreciation and that they were the (older) iPad 2 model.

“So we would have to make up the cost differential and we also have a $1,000 deductible on our insurance policy,” said Hatcher.

Fallbrook High Principal Rod King said the iPads were used for a math class.

“Using iPads is a way to peak students’ interest in subjects; this most definitely takes the element of technology out of that class until we can decide what to replace them with,” said King. “The teacher will return to the white board and do more group work.”

King said they will “do our best to expedite the matter to see how quickly we can replace the technology element for that class.”

“In the meantime, we have other devices that we can make available to this teacher,” he said. “We will also be consulting with the teacher to see what the best replacement might be at this time.

We may opt to purchase iPads or go to Chromebooks.”