It’s hard to beat a Rip of the Week like this one. The Independence Institute reports that the Department of Homeland Security “continues to lose hundreds of computers per year.” According to John Caldera, the president of the Independence Institute, which investigated for the report, “You really have to look at these inventories, and go through them page after page to get an idea of how obnoxious these losses are.”

Interesting sound bytes:

• In fiscal year 2008, inventories of lost, stolen, and damaged equipment show that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) combined to lose no fewer than 985 computers.
• Meanwhile, the lost, stolen and damaged report for ICE shows 13 vehicles classified as “lost” or “not found during physical inventory.”
• CBP’s total inventory (immediately below) of lost stolen and damaged equipment tallies 1,975 pieces at a total valuation of $7.5 million.
• CBP’s inventory also shows 235 night vision scopes classified as lost.
• Three computer switchers worth $92,354 each were lost.
• An “international harvester vehicle truck” valued at $116,349 apparently could not be located during physical inventory.

Be sure to read the full report.