Burglars
Rob Challenged America Of Valuable Assets
By
Jean Quist
As printed in The
Log Newspaper
SAN
DIEGO---Burglars made off with an estimated $8,000
worth of vital office equipment when they broke
into the offices of Challenged America, San Diego’
s nationally recognized sailing program for the
disabled, during the early morning hours of July
7.
 |
|
Challenged
America co-founder Bob Hettiger (left) and
board member Homer Kryger check breakage
in the office door where burglars entered
to steal more than $8,000 in computers and
other equipment. Volunteer Gordon Parham
looks through from the inside. Photo
Courtesy Challenged
America
|
Challenged
America’s program coordinator, Greg Scott,
said that the thieves gained access to the offices,
located at Shelter Cove Marina in America’s
Cup Harbor, by breaking the glass inset of the
main door.
Items
taken include two laptop computers, a desktop
computer CPU, a digital camera used to create
photos for the organization’s Web site,
and five submersible hand-held radios that had
just been donated to the organization by West
Marine, Inc.
According
to Scott, a liveaboard resident of the marina
heard a loud noise around 2:30 a.m. but did not
see anything or investigate, assuming it was cleaning
crews working in the offices at the marina during
the night.
"The
monetary value of the equipment is around $8,000,”
said Scott, “but the value of the information
on the computers is priceless to the organization.
We have basically lost the entire administrative
arm of the organization."
Scott
said that the computers would be of no value to
the burglars, since the information stored on
them is password-protected with a sophisticated
utility program. They are of additional value
to Challenged America because they contain accessibility
software programs designed for use by the disabled,
including the reading-impaired.
"These
programs are expensive," said Scott, "often
costing as much as a laptop unit."
Harbor
Police were called to investigate around 8 a.m.
when people showed up at the office for Challenged
America’s weekly business meeting. One hand-held
radio that was apparently dropped during the theft
was dusted for prints.
"Since
the computers are really of no value to anyone
else, we would really appreciate their return,
anonymously or otherwise," Scott said. "This
loss has just devastated our organization."
Challenged
America was founded in 1990 to provide the disabled
with sailing opportunities in the San Diego area.
The organization owns a fleet of Martin 16s equipped
for disabled sailing and B’Quest, a 40-foot
sloop used for offshore racing to Mexico and in
the most recent Transpac.
Anyone
with information about the burglary is requested
to contact the San Diego Harbor Police at (619)
686-6272. Members of the public interested in
making donations to Challenged America should
call the office at (619) 523-9318.
For
additional information about Challenged America
and its programs, visit www.challengedamerica.org
YachtRacing.com
Editor's Note: Anybody with the ability to help
this organization to rebuild it's assets is urged
to contact Challenged America!
