April 16, 2007

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — UC Davis police report that burglars stole video and computer equipment valued at $40,000 from the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute in Sacramento over the weekend. The equipment did not contain any patient personal health information, and patient visits to M.I.N.D. Institute clinics were disrupted very little.

"We are still assessing the damage at this point," said Lieutenant Nader Oweis of the UC Davis Police Department. "But we are pleased that the equipment taken did not contain private patient records and that M.I.N.D. Institute operations were not interrupted much as a result of the incident."

According to the institute’s Research Clinic manager, only one early morning Research Clinic appointment was postponed and remaining appointments were moved to the Evaluation Clinic in the same building.

The primary areas of the institute targeted by the burglars were patient-observation and storage areas of the Research Clinic, two staff offices and an area that houses audio-visual equipment. The items taken were computer monitors, a video camera and other electronic equipment used for research and outreach. Oweis said that access to the building was gained through an unlocked door.

The burglary was first noticed by Robert Hendren, executive director of the M.I.N.D. Institute, when he arrived early at work this morning. He saw several items that were lined up near a back door. Right after that, Hendren was advised by the institute’s video producer that equipment was missing from his office. Hendren notified campus police, who launched an immediate investigation.

"Every moment of time lost in treating patients or doing our research is a tremendous loss to us," said Hendren. "We try to keep the M.I.N.D. Institute as open and friendly as possible for the benefit of our patients and the ease of our researchers’ work, but we are obviously re-evaluating that now. This is especially disappointing during Autism Awareness Month, when the importance of autism research is top-of-mind."

Based on records of staff access over the weekend, it is assumed that the burglary occurred on Saturday night. A full-scale investigation is under way to find the perpetrators and the lost equipment. Anyone with information should call the UC Davis Police Department at (916) 734-2555.

The UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute is a unique research center where parents, scientists, educators and clinicians work together to find causes, treatments and, eventually, cures for autism, fragile X syndrome, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities and other neurodevelopmental disorders. For more information, visit www.mindinstitute.org.