22 Donated Computers Are Stolen From YMCA

Every time Barbara Linski thought Wednesday about the thieves who broke into a storage closet and stole computer equipment from the Mid-Valley YMCA, she felt more angry and disgusted.

The theft sometime between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning mainly hurt at-risk teens struggling to do better in school, said Linski, the facility’s executive director.

“The kids feel violated,” she said. “This was something for them, and now it’s been taken away. These kids have a hard enough time as it is.”

Police investigators were trying to determine Wednesday how the 22 computers, keyboards, mouses, connecting cables and software programs valued at $14,000 were taken from the storage closet.

The storage closet can be entered from the gymnasium floor or from an alley behind the building in the 6900 block of Lennox Avenue, Linski said.

“We think they got access through one of the doors and loaded them in a truck in the alley,” she said.

The donated computers were last seen at 4:30 p.m. Sunday when basketballs were locked in the closet following a game, Linski said.

YMCA Wellness Director Debbie Doster went into the closet Monday morning and saw that the computer equipment was gone.

It was being stored in the closet while administrative officials canvassed companies and individuals who might donate monitors, Linski said.

The computer equipment was donated by Underwriters Reinsurance Co. The firm upgraded its computer system last month when it relocated from Woodland Hills to Calabasas.

Company employee Chris Spann arranged for the computers to be given to Mid-Valley YMCA, where he volunteers with the Junior Lakers, a youth basketball program for about 500 at-risk youth ages 5 to 18, Linski said.

“We wanted to tell the kids: ‘Let’s do a little tutoring, work on the computer or do homework before you play basketball,’ ” Linski said. “At this point, we are hoping we will be able to get another donation and start all over again.”