More than $10,000 of computer equipment was stolen from basement offices in the Administration building Friday evening, capping a campus-wide string of computer thefts in which burglars have forced open or broken ground-level windows.

An employee arriving at work reported the theft of five Quantex Pentium computers, each valued at $2,137, at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. A Mag Innovision Color monitor of unknown value was also taken. Police reports indicate the area was secure when the employee left at 5:30 p.m. the previous evening.

Detective Sgt. Sal Celi of the University of Arizona Police Department said he believes this latest burglary is connected to at least five other computer thefts from campus buildings this semester.

Two computer burglaries in the Speech building, 1103 E. University Blvd., and one in the Microbiology building, 1117 E. Forbes Road, are suspected to be related, Celi said.

Thieves also took computer components from first-floor offices in Steward Observatory, 933 N. Cherry Ave., and the Forbes Building, 1140 E. South Campus Drive. The value of the stolen items in these previous break-ins totals more than $7,000.

"I truly believe that all of these ground-floor burglaries are connected to one or more suspects. It is only a matter of time until we catch up with him, her, or they," Celi said.

Investigating officers also found an athletic shoe print on a chair in the burglarized Administration offices at 1401 E. University Blvd. The print matches prints on a chair photographed at the scene of the Microbiology break-in, police reports stated.

Acting Lt. Brian Seastone, a UAPD spokesman, would not comment on the earlier cases but said police are "looking at all things from the past."

Police have no specific suspects at this time, he said.

Celi added he could not make any "hard connection" between the latest burglaries and the five people indicted Dec. 8 on 28 counts related to three campus computer thefts last September. Those cases are still pending in Pima County Superior Court.

"These latest thefts do not fit their original method of operation," Celi said.

Burglars gained access to the Administration building offices by prying open two ground-level windows on the building's north side.

Police reports indicate officers found 3/8-inch pry marks around the frames of a window at the building.

Reports indicate someone slid through the window before opening an adjacent window from the inside. Burglars also removed the adjacent window's restraining clamps, allowing it to swing fully open. This may have provided space to pass the stolen computers outside and facilitate an easier exit for the burglars, police reports stated.

Officers photographed numerous shoe prints both outside and inside the building, because thieves apparently tracked mud into the offices.

An inner office door leading to the cubicles that housed the missing computers was found propped open.

Five of seven employees whose university-assigned computers were stolen were called in Saturday for interviews with police.

Celi said university police are concerned about where the computers are going and added that a reward is available for people with pertinent information.

"The public should beware," Celi said. "No one wants to get stuck with a stolen computer."