Criminals burglarized the Department of Education's main complex on St. Thomas over the weekend, stealing several desktop computers, monitors, laptops and other technical equipment, according to a statement from Education, which asks the public to be on the lookout for these items.

The break-in left many employees without critical on-the-job equipment.

A police report has already been filed, and an inventory of all items has been logged with the V.I. Police Department.

Expressing her frustration Monday, Education Commissioner Dr. LaVerne Terry said that the burglary forces the department to absorb the cost of replacing the equipment during a difficult fiscal time.

“We have already made public our need to cut costs and streamline services,” Terry said. “To have to take on such an unnecessary expense at this time will not only hurt the department financially, but also interferes with our ability to meet critical deadlines at this busy time of the year.”

“At this point,” she continued, “we are working very closely with the Police Department to recover the equipment, but we are also asking for the public to report any information they might have to the authorities."

Anyone who has any information regarding this robbery is urged to call detectives at 714-9834 or 715-5522 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-TIPS.