$2,500 reward offered to recover school video

Although a suspect has been arrested in the theft of $20,000 worth of computers, external hard drives, digital cameras and other optical accessories from James Campbell High School last week, Roberts Hawaii is offering a $2,500 reward for some video footage stored on the computers.

"The equipment contained raw and edited footage for an educational video promoting safety on the roads for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians," said Jennifer Hill, safety officer for Roberts Hawaii. "The video was designed to encourage everyone to learn to work together so we can share the road in a safe manner. It’s an invaluable learning tool for the entire community and not something that can be easily re-created. We’re asking the public for help to recover it."

The safety video was developed as a collaborative effort by Campbell High School, the Hawaii Bicycling League and Roberts Hawaii.

Hill said earlier this week that the students who worked on the project devoted most of their spring break to shooting the footage. Video crew members spent hundreds of hours writing, producing and editing the final video; secured city and state permits to film on public streets; and spent numerous hours coordinating with cyclists, drivers and pedestrians who participated in the video project, she said.

Both the police and school officials aren’t saying what has been recovered following the arrest Wednesday of a 31-year-old Wai­pahu man on suspicion of second-degree burglary.

Naomi Takamori, Campbell principal, said the burglary of Apple computers and video cameras took place in the early morning hours of July 21. Taka­mori said the suspect was caught on the school’s video surveillance tape.

Anyone with information should contact Crime­Stop­pers at 955-8300.