Poe and Tompkins Halls were scenes of break-ins during the weekend, according to Sgt. Jon Barnwell of Campus Police.

“Both cases are open,” he said. “We’re not ruling anything out that they could be related.”

According to a police report, “A staff member reported that six laptops, two digital cameras, two projectors and one modem were taken from Poe Hall. There was no sign of forced entry.”

Craig Watt of the Department of Psychology declined to comment because of the ongoing investigation.

Maria Pragmaggiore, director of film studies, said approximately $8,000, mostly in computer equipment, was stolen.

“All we know is that the lab was broken into sometime over the past weekend and some of our equipment was taken,” she said, calling the incident “disconcerting.”

Barnwell was unaware of the monetary value of the goods and said the report contained information regarding a stolen laptop.

For Jeffrey Vizcaino, a junior in communication and film studies, the theft was a hindrance to his presentation for a film course yesterday morning.

“I did research to find photos and video clips to effectively use,” he said.

Rather than deliver the PowerPoint presentation he had prepared, Vizcaino had to speak without any visual aids because he was depending on borrowing a laptop from the department.

“When you work that hard and it comes to where the equipment just gets thrown out the window, it makes you not want to try as hard, in case they don’t have the resources you need,” he said.

Pragmaggiore said she hopes somebody with a “guilty conscience” comes forward.

“We’re troubled because we aren’t a wealthy program,” she said. “It’s a big blow to our small program.”

Barnwell is urging anybody with information to contact Campus Police at 515-3000.