Another round of computer thefts has Iowa State’s Department of Public Safety concerned once again, although officials doubt these thefts are connected to a burglary spree this summer.

Almost $7,000 of equipment was taken in three separate break-ins at Carver Hall over the weekend, according to DPS records.

Nearly $4,500 worth of computer equipment was stolen from Room 396; a Gateway-brand CPU, a microwave and a laser pointer worth a total of $740 was taken from Room 347; and a Gateway-brand computer worth about $1,500 was swiped from Room 205.

“It’s unknown, but these thefts were probably not related to this summer’s,” said DPS Associate Director Jerry Stewart.

Stewart said none of the Carver heists showed signs of forced entry, while most of the incidents this summer did.

This weekend’s string of thefts is just the latest in a rash of computer heists that struck the College of Design Building, the General Service Building and other campus buildings.

All in all, about $20,000 in theft and damages to computer equipment and software were reported throughout the summer burglary spree.

Elements considered by DPS in deciding whether the recent burglaries were linked to earlier ones included time of thefts, type of computers stolen and the manner in which the equipment was taken.

Stewart said many of this summer’s thefts involved the “gutting” of a computer, which consists of taking off the cover of a computer and removing its processor and other valuable hardware.

“The Design Center and General Services Building each experienced a gutting this summer, a removal of the cover and theft of computer motherboards,” he said. “If we were still seeing that, it would be something that we would link to this summer.”

Stewart said no suspects have been identified yet in any of the computer burglaries since they began in June, and no real leads have come out of the nearly three-month investigation.

As these burglaries continue and the thieves remain at large, DPS offered the following tips to protect your computer equipment:

* Report suspicious activity, especially people who are in places where they don’t appear to belong, at times that seem unusual.

* Ask for affiliation when observing people moving computer equipment.

* Back up all of your data and store it at a remote site.

* Update departmental inventory records to reflect recent acquisitions.

* Do not leave access keys in desk drawers or other readily accessible locations.

* Lock office doors even when they are unattended for a short period of time.

* Don’t prop exterior or interior doors.

* Be on the lookout for suspicious people or vehicles moving computer equipment out of loading docks.

Stewart said the current computer burglary spree is not unusual, although it is frustrating.

“We hate for it too happen, but it’s not uncommon to experience a rash of incidents such as car burglaries or building burglaries,” he said.

DPS is hoping if a suspect is apprehended for charges relating to one of these thefts, it will explain many others.

“Typically when arrests are made, a number of cases can be cleared,” he said. “So if this is, in fact, a string of burglaries, we hope that someone will come forward and we can account for all of these.”