Theft of KLSU control board under investigation
LSUPD is investigating a simple burglary that occurred in Hodges Hall Friday during the early morning hours.
Police said an unknown person stole a Logictek Roc-10, or a control board, from the KLSU broadcast station between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5:50 a.m.
Lt. Lawrence Rabalais said the equipment is valued at $4,700.
Officers said they suspect the thief entered Hodges Hall through a hole placed in the wall from construction taking place in the building. A narrow hole between the pipes and the ground allowed the perpetrator to slide through the mud, entering Hodges, Rabalais said.
It appears the person then crossed a wall and broke through some ceiling tiles to gain access to a hallway near the KLSU control room, Rabalais said.
Rabalais said LSUPD is addressing security issues around Hodges Hall.
“It is difficult to keep the building secure with the construction,” he said.
Officers said they will monitor the building with 24-hour foot patrols. Police said they especially will monitor the side of Hodges facing the stadium because that is where the person entered the building.
Greg Laney, KLSU program director, said the Logictek is a control board that monitors what the stations airs.
“We can’t do anything without this,” Laney said. “It is the one vital aspect of broadcasting.”
Laney said KLSU temporarily borrowed an identical control board from its production studio to continue airing music.
The production studio is used to make pieces that are not pre-recorded on a CD, such as promotions and underwriting. KLSU employees have been using a make-shift studio and will have to wait longer to use the new studio, Laney said.
He said when the board was stolen, DJs were forced to play the same tape again and again until 11 a.m. Monday.
KLSU is one of the most technologically advanced radio stations in the country, Laney said. The station was planning to become completely digital by Spring Break.
However, with the stolen equipment, the station has pushed that date back until the end of the semester.
“Whoever has [the control board], it’s pretty much useless to them unless they have a set-up that is almost exactly like ours,” Laney said. “Most stations are still using outdated equipment.”
Laney said KLSU wants to remain in the national rankings for college radio stations, but without the equipment, it will be difficult to do so.
“We want to uphold that reputation,” he said.
Diette Courrege