Four computers, valued at more than $2,000, were reported stolen from the Writer’s Studio on Sunday, according to Butler University Police Department.

Employee Jamie Kostecki, a junior arts administration and Spanish major, said she noticed a desktop computer was missing when she opened the studio at 3 p.m. that day.

Kostecki said she figured the computer was being worked on because the studio had been having problems with Microsoft Word earlier, but realized that three more were missing when Studio Director Susan Sutherlin told Kostecki she had no idea about any repairs being made.

Kostecki called BUPD at 3:30 p.m. after she noticed computer lock wires had been cut.

BUPD Police Chief Ben Hunter said he inferred that the suspect must have had some kind of tool to cut the tether that secured the computer to a desk.

Hunter said this incident would be classified as a burglary because the cut tether signifies the intent to commit a felony.

Burglaries on Butler’s campus are rare, he said.

“It was definitely the most eventful Sunday I’ve ever worked in the Writer’s Studio,” Kostecki said. “What a fiasco.”

Katie Arnt, a junior English literature major who also works at the studio, said that it was a slow process to get things started when she came in later Sunday.

“I’m incredibly frustrated that someone would do something like this,” Arnt said. “The studio exists to help people and is an important student service. If someone on campus stole the computers, it would be incredibly upsetting. I really hope that the police will be able to find our computers so we can get back to work as efficiently as we used to.”

Until Sunday, the studio had six computers total.

The peer tutors, as well as students using the studio for their own work, use the three desktop PCs and the Apple desktop that were stolen, Sutherlin said.

The three desktop PCs were in the Writer’s Studio in Jordan Hall 304 and the Apple desktop was in the studio’s adjoining space in JH 302.

Hunter said there was no sign of forced entry when BUPD investigated. The doors to the studio are normally unlocked one hour before it opens.

As of press time, BUPD has no suspects. Some latent fingerprints were taken at the studio, but Hunter said he doesn’t think anything will come of them.

Hunter said a detective is going to be assigned to the case. The computers will be listed on the National Crime Information Center, a computerized index of criminal justice information including stolen property.

If someone tries to pawn them, the computers will appear on that database as stolen property.

Sutherlin said she is discussing additional security for equipment with Information Technology.

“We should expect replacement computers very soon,” Sutherlin said. “We’re grateful for the support.”

For now, the studio will be answering emails, conducting online tutorials and answering questions as usual on their laptops, she said. It backs up all of its work on BUFiles, so nothing was lost.