My hard drive stolen and erased images...

My portable hard drive was stolen off of my desk at work by a janitor. My entire photographic portfolio was on it. My Jobs folder will all of my freelance work on it along with the written contracts. Plus all personal stock imagery, and samples/tearsheets from previous positions. Our security office apprehended the individual and got my hard drive back. But when I connected it to my computer they have erased EVERYTHING off of it! Our It department is trying to do an image recovery and the individual was fired. If they can't get my work back, will it be possible to attach a law suit to this man? I have not registered the images with a copyright attorney. This is all potential jobs that I'm going to lose plus many years of time and effort. Not to mention the emotional wreck I am in.
Thanks for the advice

You certainly can, and he can be charged criminally and made to pay as well.

damn right you can thats a very serious offence the police will most likely search his home and can return any data that belongs to you he might have stolen back to you.