San Jose State employee accused in equipment theft

After a six-month investigation, police at San Jose State University have arrested a school employee accused of stealing equipment ordered for a major campus technology upgrade.

Police said 39-year-old Jose Javier Farias was taken into custody Wednesday on suspicion of burglary and embezzlement of university property.

The San Jose Mercury News reported Thursday that the loss was estimated at up to $800,000.

Farias was booked into Santa Clara County Jail, posted bail and was released. It wasn’t immediately known if he has an attorney.

Farias, a network analyst in the IT department, was put on paid administrative leave.

The university is trying to recover the equipment, which includes hundreds of small wireless access devices – each costing about $1,000 – for expanded Internet service.