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DENVER — School supplies and learning tools that are stolen from local school districts are a big, expensive problem. The FOX31 Denver Problems Solvers wanted to know who is paying for it.

Denver Public Schools

In all, $18,000 vanished from  Denver’s Gilpin Montessori in November 2014.  Two months later, $6,724 was gone from West High School through the use of a credit card.

These are two examples of missing money from Denver Public Schools.  FOX31 Denver requested audits of missing or stolen items from six area school districts for the past two school years.

But money is not the only thing educators cannot find at DPS. In the past two years, the district lost various lawn equipment, including two weed eaters, tools, garden equipment and $2,000 in backflow equipment or copper.

The list of missing items also includes 21 laptops, two video cameras, a phone, emergency radios, keys and a drill rifle. DPS refused to do an interview or provide more details.

Jon Caldara, whose nonprofit Independence Institute fights on behalf of Colorado taxpayers, said districts should take a look at their policies.

“To taxpayers, this is pretty substantial. This is enough to provide several vouchers for kids to go to a better school,” he said.

Jefferson County Public Schools

Computers disappeared in large numbers from Jefferson County Public Schools — 121 iPads to be exact.

Thieves also stole three surveillance cameras in the past two years along with the personal computer used to view the security video. Schools’ equipment sheds were also targets, with a trimmer and backpack blower stolen last summer.

“Some of the large items surprised me,” Jefferson County Public Schools spokeswoman Diana Wilson said. “That somebody would break into a school shed and take a snowblower, you’re like ‘really?’

“With 86,000 students and 154 schools, $10,000 in hard loss, it could be a lot worse. Our schools are tight on money as it is. Anything we can save helps.”

Adams 12 Five Star District

In Adams County, it appears the staff should be keeping an eye on the ball.

Thieves got away with four cases of tennis balls as well as a tennis ball machine worth $1,300, and a ball hopper from Legacy High School.

The district also lost a sub-woofer, sound mixer and several gas cans.

One of the district’s most expensive losses was $4,500 in copper wiring that disappeared from Northglenn High School.

Aurora Public Schools

The school district provided a sparse list of missing computers. The inventory said 16 computers were missing.  A school spokesman said it does not track other stolen property.

Douglas County and Cherry Creek

Douglas County and Cherry Creek school districts claim they don’t keep records of stolen or missing items. Caldara said they should because taxpayers are keeping track of what increases they see.

“Parents and homeowners and taxpayers have to pay more to cover this,” he said.

Several school districts are expected to ask voters to cover tax increases in November.