Police: Woman used fake ID in theft of laptops

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November 20, 2008

Anonymous The Times-Tribune Thu Nov 20, 2008, 08:49 AM EST

By Sean Bailey / Staff Writer

A Williamsburg woman was arrested Tuesday for allegedly stealing two laptops from the University of the Cumberlands — one of which she stole using a fake student ID.

Penny Strunk, 26, was charged with two counts of receiving stolen property over $300, after a lengthy investigation led Williamsburg Police Department to her. At Strunk’s residence, officers recovered two laptops belonging to the U of C library.

Williamsburg Police Department Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson said one of the computers had a tracking device that helped police locate Strunk.

Jackson said Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman has been investigating a rash of stolen laptops from the college for the past two months.

“This case just happened to take a turn for the good today,” Jackson said Tuesday, “It was part of one of those long investigations that pays off with patience, which Freeman definitely had.”

Strunk, according to Jackson, is not a student at U of C.

Jackson said Strunk confessed to police that she stole the two laptops found at her residence.

Officer Jackson said Strunk allegedly obtained one of the laptops from U of C’s library by using a fake student ID. The U of C’s library has a service that allows students to check out laptops for use around campus.

Police are less sure of how she obtained the second laptop, but Jackson says it appears the second laptop had been checked back into the library before it was “just plain stolen.”

Jackson said police haven’t been able to pin down the motive behind the thefts, noting that bringing high-priced items like laptop computers to pawn shops often “raises eyebrows.”

“The thing about the motive is that when someone brings something into a pawn shop to sell something that is of a pretty significant value for a dirt cheap price, it raises suspicion right off the bat,” Jackson said.

The two stolen laptops were just two of a “rash” of reported missing laptops. Jackson said laptops have been taken not only from the library, but also dorm rooms. At this time, police are unsure if Strunk has anything to do with the other thefts.

Det. Freeman is continuing the investigation.

Jackson said the police were aided in the investigation not only by the tracking device in one of the computers, but the college as well.

“The college has been totally cooperative and helped us tremendously,” Jackson said.

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