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TMCNet:  Santa Cruz police release images of suspected computer thief

[January 17, 2013]

Santa Cruz police release images of suspected computer thief

SANTA CRUZ, Jan 17, 2013 (Santa Cruz Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Computers that were stolen from four office buildings might have been targeted for their identity theft data, police said Thursday.

Doors were pried open in all but one of the burglaries, which have happened on Soquel and Pacific avenues since Jan. 1. Police believe the burglaries are linked.

"In all of them, computer equipment and servers were taken," said Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark.

Thursday, police released surveillance images of one of the burglaries, which happened between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. Monday at 325 Soquel Ave. at an information technology services firm.

A man pried open the door and took a laptop computer and a server, police said. He wore a blue jacket, khaki pants, gloves, glasses and a dark beret.

He appeared white, about 5 feet, 8 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches tall and about 160 to 170 pounds, police said.

"If you're the suspect, you might want to think about surrendering -- someone is bound to recognize you from these photos," Clark wrote in a blog post.

An interior-door alarm tripped during the burglary and the alarm company called the building owner, police said. In part because it was an interior alarm, the owner told the alarm company not to notify police, authorities said.

Police can bill building owners for chronic false alarms. Clark urged building owners to let police respond.

Other buildings also have had computer equipment stolen.

The night of Dec. 31 or early Jan. 1, an office at 340 Soquel Ave. was burglarized. Two laptop computers and at least two keyboards were taken, police said.

Investigators collected fingerprints and other evidence.

Two more burglaries were reported on Pacific Avenue since Jan. 1.

Santa Cruz police ask anyone with information to call investigations at 831-420-5820, the anonymous tip line at 831-420-5995 or leave a tip at www.santacruzpolice.com or by the mobile application at m.santacruzpolice.com.

Follow Sentinel reporter Stephen Baxter on Twitter at Twitter.com/sbaxter_sc ___ (c)2013 the Santa Cruz Sentinel (Scotts Valley, Calif.) Visit the Santa Cruz Sentinel (Scotts Valley, Calif.) at www.santacruzsentinel.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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