Police Hunt for Suspects in Old Mill Laptop Heist

are investigating a massive burglary at this week in which suspects allegedly broke into the campus and stole 47 Apple MacBook and iBook laptops.

Police Sgt. Paul Wrapp said the suspects cut a padlock to an access gate on Old Mill St. to get on the campus and then pried open a window in the school’s multi-purpose room on the back side of the school. The computers, which have an estimated value of more than $70,000 at about $1,500 apiece, were in a locked storage unit. The suspects cut those locks as well, Wrapp said.

The burglary was discovered by construction workers at around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to Wrapp. Old Mill is in the midst of a as part of the ’s $59.8 million modernization on its schools. The approximately $2.5 million Old Mill project has made the campus a hub of activity throughout the weekday since school ended in mid-June.

The alleged burglars actually emptied a garbage can and used it to transport the laptops, according to Tim Ryan, the district’s director of maintenance and operations.

Ryan said the district has dealt with technology-related theft at its schools in recent years, including computer theft at and Old Mill schools, but never one of this size.

Ryan said he was initially angry about the burglary but is now energized to be involved in education.

“If we don’t give people an opportunity within education, we’re going to see more and more of these sorts of things happening,” he said. “This is desperate people doing stupid things.”

Mill Valley Police ask that anyone with information or who thinks they may have seen something suspicious between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning call Det. Sgt. Paul Wrapp at 415.389.4100, ext. 119. Anonymous tips can be placed at 415.721.4547.