Laptops stolen from faith-based community center

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (FOX 35 Orlando) - The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a burglary inside a faith-based community center.

Someone stole computers and cash from a group whose mission is to help those in need. The Derbyshire Place is a Christian run charity. Their computer lab just opened -- free to anyone to do school work or apply for jobs. A thief cleaned the place out, taking eight laptops.  Now, management is trying to figure out how to bounce back.

“If someone really needed a laptop that badly, we would’ve given it to them, they didn't need to steal it,” said Miguel Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Derbyshire Place.

He says he’s installed a security system, but its a shame it’s come to that.

“So we put out a post on Facebook, we have our own Facebook page and Instagram, and we wanted to let all of our partners know what happened and that we’re going to take measures to secure the building even further, so the people that give and donate to us will feel safe about donating and continuing to give in the future.”

This brand new lab was intended to be a resource for kids and adults where they could pull up a chair and have a quiet place to concentrate on a research paper or log on to apply for assistance. Sometime during the overnight hours, a thief came through a window and took off with the equipment.

“And whoever stole them, we pray for them, and we are just hoping to get our computers replaced,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez says he’s already raising money to buy that new hardware, he says he won’t be deterred, but he hopes someone out there will help investigators recover the stolen laptops, then the lab could serve double the amount of people in need.

There was a safe inside of a bookcase that was also taken. It was full of money raised at the thrift store -- money that was used for other charitable projects.

If you know anything about this burglary, call the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.