Five ceiling-mounted projectors were stolen from classrooms between April 12 and April 15, according to Public Safety.

Public Safety officers discovered the thefts during routine patrols through the buildings.

“We are reviewing our CCTV cameras and working closely with the NYPD to determine the person or persons responsible for the thefts,” Public Safety Vice President Thomas Lawrence said in an email.

He said four projectors were taken from classrooms in St. John’s Hall sometime between 10 p.m. on April 12 and 8 a.m. on April 13.

Lawrence said an additional projector was stolen from Bent Hall on April 15 between 5:15 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.

Lawrence said he could not disclose the results of the CCTV review because the NYPD investigation is still ongoing.

According to Classroom Support and Audiovisual Services, more than 90 percent of classrooms on the Queens campus are equipped with a ceiling-mounted projector.

Many of the projectors mounted in classrooms are NEC NP500W Digital Multimedia Projectors, which retail for $1,399. The theft of six projectors represents a loss of more than $8,000.

Lawrence said all academic buildings are locked overnight, and Public Safety hopes to avoid further theft by continuing regular patrol shifts.

Officers patrol all buildings during three tours, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., and 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Sophomore James Whitfield lives on campus, and said he frequently sees Public Safety patrolling through the night.

“I do see them on patrol and I feel safe,” he said. “But they just can’t be everywhere all the time.”

Freshman Dylan Orr believes the projectors are a necessary teaching tool, and thinks missing projectors would negatively affect his classes.

“I find it hard to get through a class without projectors,” he said. “I even have professors who wouldn’t even have a class worth teaching without projectors.”

Darlyn Presinal, a sophomore, believes projectors in the classroom are helpful, but not necessary. “I haven’t had a lot of classes that use them,” she said. “I think my professors would be fine if they couldn’t use a projector.”

Lawrence said the University’s Information Technology Department has replaced the stolen projectors in St. John’s Hall.  At the time of publication, the projector stolen from Bent Hall had not yet been replaced.