UCPD arrests former UCLA student for YRL laptop theft

The original version of this article and the headline accompanying it contained an error and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for more information.

Police arrested a former UCLA student Tuesday in connection with the weekend theft of more than 50 MacBook laptops from the Charles E. Young Research Library.

Seyed Ali Pakizehkar Hesari, 29, was detained just after 1 p.m. Tuesday after a student working out at the John Wooden Center recognized Hesari’s shoes, shirt and sweatpants from police images on an article posted on the Daily Bruin’s website. UCPD then arrested Hesari on campus.

Hesari is not currently a student but has been attending UCLA on and off for years, UCPD Lt. Mark Littlestone said.

The 55 laptops were stolen from from an equipment loan room on the ground floor of the library about 2:30 a.m. Saturday. The suspect smashed an east-facing window and then smashed the window on a door to a room where laptops are kept using a blunt object that appeared to be a hammer, police said.

University police searched Hesari’s mother’s Hollywood home where he lives late Tuesday and found another 53 laptops, Littlestone said. He added that police are still searching for two more laptops.

Surveillance footage from the library showed a man wearing UCLA sweatpants and blue shoes, which matched the description of the suspect wanted for stealing two MacBook Pro laptops from the UCLA Store in Ackerman Union in late September.

Police said they found a laptop in Hesari’s backpack and a laptop cover in his Wooden Center locker, one of which was from YRL and another which may have come from the UCLA Store.

He was later arrested on two counts of burglary, according to a university statement.

Hesari did not offer any statement to police when he was brought in for questioning, Littlestone said.

Hesari is being held at the Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles in lieu of $40,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

Compiled by Sam Hoff, Bruin senior staff.

Correction: Hesari is not currently enrolled but has been attending UCLA on and off for years.