Police find stolen computers

A rash of Carson City computer thefts may have been solved with the arrest Monday of two people.

Christopher Lee Campbell, 25, and Stacey Campbell, 26, were booked on charges of burglary and possession of stolen property. They are being held in the Carson City Jail in connection with burglaries that began Jan. 17, according to the Carson City Sheriff's Department.

Investigators estimate a total of $15,000 to $20,000 worth of computer-related equipment was stolen from businesses across Carson City throughout the last three months.

Chief Sheriff's Deputy Scott Burau said the thieves hit businesses that were not protected by alarms.

Business owner Hans Struffert on Monday identified his computer stolen about two weeks ago from his real-estate office.

"I'm glad they caught them," Struffert said. "They (deputies) did a fine job at that."

Detectives served a search warrant on a house in the 3000 block of Otha Street. Computers and computer parts were recovered.

Struffert said he identified his computer, but it was damaged beyond repair.

"The thing was just a pile of garbage," he said.

He said he bought the Macintosh computer about five years ago for between $2,000 and $2,500.

Struffert said he was angry when he found that his computer had been stolen.

"I could have killed somebody," he said. "If I had found the guy in the office he would probably have had two black eyes by the time I got through with him."

He said he was more worried about the loss of data than the loss of equipment.

"Equipment can always be replaced," he said.

He was concerned that the burglars would crack his passwords and find personal information about his clients.

"It would not have made me feel good," he said.

However, he said he does not think they did.

"I don't think that whoever stole it was capable of doing that kind of stuff," Struffert said.

Other businesses hit in the rash of burglaries include the Brewery Arts Center, Charles Kitchen Realty and Wylie's Copy Center, which was hit twice in two weeks. More than 15 business were broken into altogether.

The investigation is continuing.