Two laptop computers, three computer monitors and a Dell desktop computer were stolen from campus last week, but ASU police say there is no obvious trend in the thefts.
ASU police Lt. John Sutton said, "Computer thefts occur throughout the year on campus.
"Sometimes they occur frequently over a short period of time, and other times there may be a long period where nothing happens," he added.
Though Sutton said police are investigating several "persons of interest" in each of the thefts, there have been no arrests.
Two of the thefts may have been committed by the same person on the same day from the same building, according to witnesses.
Research assistant Jackie List's laptop was stolen from her office in the Urban Systems Engineering building on north campus last Friday.
According to police, List left her office for a few minutes around 3:30 p.m. When she returned approximately 10 minutes later, the laptop was missing.
"I didn't lock the office, but the door was only open an inch or so," List said. "Nothing else was touched, and my purse and cell phone were left on the desk."
List reported seeing a man walk past her office and look inside approximately 15 minutes before she left the office. She said she thought that was odd.
"No one ever comes to my office, being that I'm a new employee," List told police.
The man was described as being tall with a thin build and short, light hair, and wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt and a black backpack.
A man with a similar description was seen leaving the Urban Systems Engineering building following the theft of a second laptop computer around 4 p.m. the same day.
The second victim, who was not identified in police reports, also described the suspect as approximately 20 years old with a "long face."
Though the approximately 20 students who have access to the lab in the Engineering Center D-wing are trained in security procedures, two monitors were reported stolen from there last Thursday.
"We think the monitors were stolen over a weekend," lab manager Peter Goguen said.
"The area must be locked after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend, but sometimes students forget or take for granted that the doors are secured," he added.
Though only teaching and research assistants have access to the lab, Goguen said he had no idea who may have stolen the two Plaxar brand computer monitors. Total estimated replacement value of the monitors is $500.
"Security measures are, for the most part, taken care of by employees and supervisors of the work units and responsible parties in the building," Sutton said.
Bait computers and hidden video surveillance also are used to prevent and investigate theft on campus, Sutton said.
"Our crime prevention unit performs security surveys that address control measures such as placement of work stations, securing offices, identification of unauthorized people and physically securing equipment," he added.
Officers and police aides also perform preventative patrols by walking through buildings and talking with individuals in the interest of identifying and correcting potential problems.
Office specialist Jean Sanfilippo said a flat-panel computer monitor was stolen from an office in the Student Health Center last Thursday, but she initially believed a staff physician may have taken the monitor home.
"One of our doctors had some computer problems, so we thought she may have taken the monitor home," Sanfilippo said.
"It wasn't until we found out that the doctor hadn't actually taken it home that we realized the monitor had been stolen."
According to the police report, the office from which the monitor was removed had been locked, and no one had access to the room except cleaning personnel. Total estimated replacement value of the monitor is $200.
Though several monitors were stolen last week, an entire desktop computer was reportedly taken from the Classroom Office building at approximately 1 p.m. last Friday.
Senior lab coordinator Wenshaw Lin reported to police there were no signs of forced entry and the lab doors were locked when Lin arrived to work.
Reach the reporter at kelly.vaughn@asu.edu.
