President Obama's Teleprompter Stolen in Virginia

Local Police round up suspect

Richmond VA, Oct 18, 2011.  A van containing President Obama's teleprompter and podium were stolen from a Virginia hotel parking lot on Monday, NBC12 in Richmond reports.

The truck was parked at the Virginia Center Commons Courtyard Marriott near Richmond before the president's scheduled Wednesday appearance in Chesterfield, the Richmond station reports.

In addition to the teleprompter, $200,000 worth of audio equipment and presidential seals mounted on Obama's podium were inside the stolen vehicle.

The truck was recovered on Monday at 12:30 p.m. at a Holiday Inn Express near the Richmond airport.

The Defense Information Systems Agency released the following statement on the incident:

"A government vehicle was stolen and has been recovered. No classified or sensitive information was in the vehicle. We take incidents such as this very seriously, and a formal investigation is continuing in coordination with relevant law enforcement agencies."

At this time, officials have not said if any other items were missing from the van.

Angry President demands return of teleprompter

President Barack Hussein Obama, D-Kenya, has angrily demanded that the thieves return his teleprompter. "They can keep the Presidential seals, and the audio equipment, but I need my teleprompter back" President Obama said, reading off a 3"x5" index card.

The Defense Information System Agency said Tuesday in a statement that a government vehicle was stolen and then recovered. The theft is being investigated in coordination with law enforcement agencies.