Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Sep 24/99) - Darlene Cave is appealing for thieves to stop targeting the Inuvialuit Communications Society.

Executive director at the society, Cave said that staffers were shocked and distressed to learn when they arrived at work Monday morning that they had been robbed over the weekend -- for the second time in a two-week period.

"We're a non-profit organization and, if they had any hearts, they would realize we're trying to help promote the values of the Inuvialuit here in the settlement region," she said. "They'd understand not to target us again."

While the robbery earlier this month netted the thief, or thieves, only $100 from a safe, last weekend's break-in proved much costlier. Assistant executive director Debbie Gordon-Ruben said Sony Beta player recorders were taken along with an A/B roll editor. Cave said the society had paid some $40,000 for the equipment, which is used to edit tape for television production.

Cave said the equipment weighs approximately 50 pounds, and Gordon-Ruben added it would be hard to imagine that it could be used in Inuvik.

"Nobody around here can use it unless they're going to do production for television," she said.

Cave said the society had been talking to the RCMP and also called local air charters to warn them to be on the look-out for the stolen goods. She added that the society will be installing an alarm system and changing its locks.

Cave said she was unsure how long the insurance process would take and how long the ICS would have to cope without replacement editing equipment. With the society having recently begun producing for the national Aboriginal People's Television Network, Gordon-Ruben said the theft could interfere with programming. She said that while the society's current affair program Suaangan will continue to air, the equipment was stolen from the suite where Tamapta is produced.