Sharon Roundtree, a part-time school employee, and Shamonique Sharpe, an employee of a security contractor that the district hired, have both been terminated, according to James Smith, the district’s head of security.

“One worked for the private security and one was a parent liaison, and both of them have been terminated,” said Smith. Sharpe worked for U.S. Security, a private security firm that contracts with the district — the firm has since fired her from the job after the district reported her conduct and recommended she be terminated.

Roundtree and Sharpe were charged earlier in the week with stealing four iPads out of School 30. Authorities were able to track down the devices using an implanted tracking chip that was inside each iPad: one was tracked to North Carolina and the other was found in Colorado.

“We’ve installed tracking devices on 15,000 computers,” said Smith, who stated the district works in partnership with the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office to recover stolen devices. “We work hand in hand with them on investigations: we supply them with information, they get the warrant where necessary to go to the person’s house once we track the device.”

Working in conjunction with authorities in both states Richard Berdnik, the county sheriff, was able to recover the items, and restore them to the city’s school. Smith said during the past two years the district has recovered more stolen items than any other school district in the State. “Over the last two years we’ve recovered over 35 computers,” said Smith.

Roundtree worked as a parent liaison at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, where she served as a go-between for parents and school administrators. Roundtree worked four hours a day as a part-time district employee. When the authorities arrested Roundtree, charging her with theft, the district terminated her employment at the school. “She was terminated when she was arrested,” said Smith.

A statement from the sheriff’s office stated that Roundtree aided Sharpe into stealing the devices. Both Sharpe and Roundtree were charged with theft and receiving stolen property; each was released after processing pending court appearance.