Hackensack Police investigating theft of school iPadsFriday, September 20, 2013
CORRESPONDENT
HACKENSACK —As a new academic year got under way this week at Hackensack High School, school officials are getting ready for the second year of their "iPad initiative."
And as administrators distribute the Apple tablets to all incoming freshmen, the Chronicle has learned that they have also been working to recover 52 of the popular devices that went missing since last September.
And since last October, Hackensack police have charged four students with theft.
In a telephone interview, interim Superintendent Joseph Abate confirmed the district has filed police reports for the missing iPads.
Abate said it has "aggressively" pursued the recovery of the expensive tablet computers.
"We've been getting them back," Abate, who explained that the insurance policy requires the district to file a police report, said.
According to police reports, many iPads were allegedly stolen from gym lockers and after the devices were left unattended at various locations.
In some cases, students filed a police reports days, or weeks, after their iPad went missing.
Police have been able to charge four students. Available details of the incidents were limited.
According to Detective Thomas Salcedo, on Oct. 25, 2012, a 14-year-old boy and a 14-year-girl who were Hackensack High School students were charged with receiving stolen property for being in possession of an iPad that was reported stolen.
Police said the iPad was stolen during a school assembly. The theft was recorded by the school's video surveillance system.
On Dec. 21, 2012, a 14-year-old male student was charged with one count of theft.
Police said during class, a student went to the bathroom. When he returned his iPad was missing. Students in the class told the teacher that the 14-year-old took the iPad. When the student was confronted, he removed the iPad from his bag.
Then on Feb. 7, police said a 17-year-old boy was charged with theft after "he walked up to another student and demanded he turn over the iPad." The student complied.
Initially, school officials said that 43 iPads were reported stolen, and that no students were charged by police.
Asked about the students who were charged, Abate said: "I'm not aware of those facts. I can't comment."
Abate added that the students who were charged no longer attend Hackensack High School. It remains unclear what disciplinary action, if any, was taken.
According to an email from Adrain Cepero, the district technology coordinator, of the 43 iPads the district said were reported stolen "eight were replaced through insurance." The remaining 35 claims were denied since iPads were left unattended or unsecured somewhere others had access.
Cepero said three iPads were recovered by police, and one was returned by a "good Samaritan."
Even when insurance does cover the cost of a replacement iPad, the district is on the hook for a $100 deductible for each iPad.
"We felt it might be a financial burden for some families to pay," Cepero said in a telephone interview. "We didn't know each individual family's financial situation."
Cepero said there were also nine iPads that were "reported lost and later found on campus using tracking technology."
According to the District Technology Plan, Hackensack seeks "to have all students with an iPad by 2015-2016."
During the last 15 months, the district has approved several purchases from Apple.
According to the minutes of Board of Education meetings, in June 2012 the district first approved the purchase of 590 iPads for staff and students "for $579 per unit for a cost of $341,610."
In December 2012, the district spent $57,900 for 100 iPads for the high school's Bilingual/ESL Student Program.
At the same meeting, two separate resolutions were approved to insure a total of 200 iPads for the program at a total cost of $29,800.
In June 2013, the district purchased 700 iPads, 25 iMac computers and 50 Apple TVs "for wireless mirroring to classroom projectors." According to the resolution approving the purchase, "the District has secured a 3-year, 0 percent interest, dollar-buyout lease through Apple Financial Services."
The deal gives the district "the option to trade-in, or "refresh" leased iPads after two or three years and receive credit for each device at fair market value towards the purchase of new devices."
The total cost is "not to exceed $444,450, to be paid in three annual payments of $148,148.05."
Incoming freshman are scheduled to receive their iPads sometime in mid-September, according to Cepero.
"Currently iPads not recovered will be replaced from our current supply, but I am exploring replacing them in the future through the purchase of refurbished iPads at a lower cost if necessary," Cepero explained via email.
Abate characterized the thefts as "the norm" in any school.
"When we entered this program with Apple we were advised that we would face 5 to 10 percent [in losses]", said Abate. "We're talking about percentages that are below the norm. While I'm concerned, I'm not overly concerned."
North Jersey Media Group Inc.
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