NEW ORLEANS -- A burglar broke into a neighborhood center Uptown and stole five computers from a nonprofit that teaches people how to use computers and learn job skills.
A surveillance video shows the burglar walking onto the property in the 4600 block of Freret Street. Minutes later he leaves loaded down with stolen goods, including five computers – three of them desktops – a printer and a digital camera.
Ironically, the nonprofit computer lab run by neighborhood housing services had been making posters for a walk against crime for Wednesday night.
People here were already angry about the nearby murder of Errol Meeks outside of Friar Tucks Bar and the death of 18-year-old Mariah Woods, the innocent victim of a police car chase.
Now this center has fewer computers to help people learn computer skills.
“I think this is going to be a real tragedy for the neighborhood. I really hope we can get the computers back somehow and keep teaching people basic skills,” said Kimberly VanWagner, director of the Freret Neighborhood Center. “Just to really survive anymore you need to know how to use a computer.”
You're asked to call Crimestoppers at 822-1111 if you can identify the burglar.
The walk against crime with the NOPD begins Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. at the Atkinson- Stern Tennis Courts in the 4,000 block of South Saratoga.
