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WEST VALLEY CITY -- Was it a simple office break-in, or industrial espionage?
A Utah company with military contracts was raided overnight, and some of its most critical computers were taken.
El Dorado Engineering in West Valley City designs equipment used to dispose of old munitions. They do work with the U.S. government and NATO. They have a secret clearance, but President Ralph Hayes told KSL anything military-sensitive is locked in the safe.
Burglars got into the business late Monday or early Tuesday by breaking through a window. They took six hard drives and six monitors and rifled through Hayes' desk.
The computers were in essential positions in the office.
"They got our accounting computer. They also got our main front office computer, along with the engineering computers," Hayes said. "A lot of our engineering computers are not just your standard computers. They're set up to be able to do 3D graphics, so they're quite expensive computers."
Heightening the intrigue, this break-in comes on the heels of another burglary six weeks ago where there was no forced entry. It's believed somebody got a key or copied a key to get in.
This most recent break-in happened the day after the old locks were replaced on the doors.
Still, Hayes insists this was probably just a crime of opportunity targeting expensive computers.
"I don't believe there was anything of looking for technology. I think it was just the opportunity to get information, maybe on personal information, but probably in this case just to grab the computers and pawn them for money or something," he said.
There is concern again that because the accounting computers were lifted, workers' personal information is at risk.
The company is still trying to put together a total loss tally.
West Valley police are investigating.
Email: aadams@ksl.com
