Core computer components were stolen from one of the pilot information technology (IT) scheme schools in early October.
According to Shatin Government Secondary School's IT co-ordinator Allan Chan Yau, the stolen CPUs and memory cards could be sold for about $50,000 in the second-hand market.
After the incident, the school installed seven infrared sensors, two iron gates and connected 42 computers to the Alert on LAN security system. These measures were in addition to the security measures offered by the Education Department, such as window bars, gates and locks.
Since the Government announced the pilot IT scheme last year, the school's computing facilities have increased from 30 PCs to about 200 PCs for students and 60 notebook computers for teachers.
PCs were locked in computer laboratories and notebooks were kept by teachers.
The components, though not the latest models, were stolen because they were easy to carry and could be sold in the second- hand market, Mr Chan said.
Mr Chan believed the computer laboratories would be safer with the introduction of more stringent security measures. Infrared sensors could detect changes in movement and temperature. Once activated, the alarm in the school would go off, alerting the security company and the local police station.
