News

Laptops stolen from church
Used to service WIC program
By Elizabeth Prata

Gray--A theft from a church during a administration of a non-profit program has irked even a 14-year veteran State Trooper. Troop Investigator for Cumberland County, Trooper Steven Green, said that on Wednesday, November 10 at the First Congregational Church Parish Hall on Brown Street in Gray two laptops were stolen during lunch break.

"I've been at this 14 years and this one really bothers me," Green said. The program was the People's Regional Opportunity Program and it was during a short lunch break during the administration of the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) when the theft occurred.

"All the doors except the Head Start door in back were locked," said Ellen Sanborn, one of the PROP Administrators that day. "It was really horrendous to take the computers, and from a church. Really horrendous." Sanborn said that the only item on the computers was the specific information related to the WIC appointments that day, "And those were password protected," Sanborn said. "Those computers are useless to the person that took them."

Sanborn said that service to the WIC recipients will not be interrupted. However, the impact to the program is that the computers will have to be replaced, "It's equipment we use daily," but their replacement will necessitate a budgetary impact overall.

Green said that the investigation is ongoing and that "it is believed that due to the nature of how the theft took place, the police believe a WIC recipient took them." Green said that the person who took them is welcome to bring them back to the Barracks at Shaker Road, The Monument Newspaper at 4 Brown Street, the Church, or PROP in Portland with no questions asked.

Sanborn said that she hopes that the thief's conscience is appealed to and they open their heart and bring the computers back. She also said that the locals should keep their ears andeyes open, "because people talk, and word might get around." She said that anyone with information can call PROP at 1-800-698-4959.

Fast facts: People's Regional Opportunity Program:
PROP is a Community Action Partnership, working through 27 integrated programs.
PROP is a community owned and governed not-for-profit organization.
PROP primarily serves 23 communities in Cumberland County, Maine.
PROP is helping people make positive changes in their lives.
PROP administers many programs, one is the federal WIC program for pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women and their children up to age 5.
PROP website : http://www.propeople.org