Men arrested for iPad thefts at school

KENDALLVILLE, Ind. (WANE/KPC) - Police have arrested two people in connection with the thefts of iPad2s from South Side Elementary School in Kendallville.

Adam Hart, 32, and Pedro Hernandez, Jr., 20, face charges of theft and receiving stolen property. Both were booked into the Noble County Jail without bond.

While investigating the theft of 41 iPad2s and battery chargers in two burglaries at the school, police developed several leads in the case, according to Kendallville police detective Lance Waters. On Jan. 16, police learned some of the stolen iPad2s could be found at a home in the 600 block of Berry Lane.

Our partners at KPC News report that the officers discovered four iPad2s in that home and they were identified as among those stolen in the first burglary.

In the first burglary, which happened sometime late Friday, Dec. 30, or early Saturday, Dec. 31, someone broke a window on the west side of the building at 1350 Sherman St. and went into a classroom. A set of 20 iPad2s and chargers used by students were taken from a table where they were stored.

Nothing else was taken, and the building wasn’t ransacked or vandalized.

The same thing took place sometime late Wednesday, Jan. 11, or early Thursday, Jan. 12, where 21 iPad2s were stolen along with chargers.

Police are investigating other people who may be involved in the burglaries, police chief Rob Wiley said Wednesday. “We hope we can recover the rest of the iPad2s not only for their value but for the student work on them,” he said.

Student work on one of the four iPad2s found at the Berry Lane home had been erased, and some of the work by students was found on the other three, according to Wiley.

Principals have taken steps to better secure the devices in their schools, according to East Noble superintendent Ann Linson.