Company robbed of tablets, learners robbed of education
Police in Johannesburg are investigating a case of robbery in which 1600 tablets, which were being prepared for learners in the North West, were stolen from a tech company.
A Johannesburg based technology company has allegedly been robbed of e-learning equipment to the value of approximately R2,1 million.
1600 tablets that were being prepared for roughly 70 schools in the North West are claimed to have been stolen from Modern Information Business (MIB) Technology's headquarters in Kew, Johannesburg late Tuesday.
Apart from the tablets, the suspects got away with four television screens, hard-drives and R5000 in cash.
MIB's Lee Qasha said it seems the suspects had full access to the company.
"There is footage of them punching in the gate override code and then from then on it looks like they're either using the button on the inside or an actual remote," he said, alluding to the possibility of an inside job.
The suspects were also allegedly escorted in and out of the premises by a police vehicle, he added.
MIB has a contract with the the Department of Basic Education to only provide a resource portal for the school tablets.
The contract with the North West education department is to load the software onto the tablets and distribute it to the various schools.
Police confirmed a break in took place and said they were investigating the matter and have launched a manhunt.
The police's Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela was unable to confirm the number of suspects.
So far no one has been arrested.
(File photo: Getty Images)