Multiple break-ins at three of the Alderman Road residence halls early Saturday morning have many first-year residents on edge.
In total, $5,700 in electronics and $25 in cash were taken from several suites in Dunglison, Dunnington and Courtenay dormitories sometime after 2:30 a.m., according to University Police Sgt. Melissa Fielding.
Residents in many of the suites that were burglarized reported that the unknown person or persons who committed the thefts gained access to their suites and dorm rooms by cutting screens behind opened windows.
On the third floor of Dunnington, the unknown intruder or intruders reportedly pulled out a screen behind a window the residents frequently leave open. The burglar or burglars subsequently stole a DVD player from the common room and a laptop computer from an individual dorm room, said Stephanie Trexler, a first-year College student and Dunnington resident.
"There were people sleeping in the rooms that he went into," Trexler said. "Now we're all getting really paranoid and locking our doors all the time."
Fielding said because of warming weather, break-ins through open windows are typical this time of year. However, the burglaries that occurred Saturday morning are unusual because some occurred in occupied suites.
"I've been here for a while, and I've never heard of someone slashing a screen to gain access to an occupied suite to steal electronic equipment," Fielding said.
Residents from the burglarized suites said they noticed unfamiliar faces in the area early Saturday morning but were not alarmed.
"People were awake and coming back from frats," said Geoff Hale, a first-year College student and Dunglison resident. "It's not unusual to have people we don't know in our suite because it could be someone's friend or someone bringing someone back from a frat."
Hale said an X-Box and Boise wave radio were stolen from his Dunglison suite between 3 and 4:30 a.m.
Although police have been unable to determine whether the break-ins were committed by a single individual or a group, Fielding said a witness reported seeing what appeared to be a white male of medium build, 170 pounds, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall and between 18 and 22 years old in the area at the time of the burglaries.
In addition, a resident's credit card may have been stolen during the break-ins, Hale said.
If a credit card was stolen and subsequently used, police may be able to track the burglary suspect or suspects.
"Basically anytime there is a theft of a wallet or credit card, we follow up any activity on those cards," Fielding said.
University Police have advised Alderman Road residents to lock their doors and secure windows. Resident advisors have also sent cautionary e-mails to residents notifying them of the incident and advising them of precautions they should take.
Read More
17 Society paints over Beta Bridge memorial to Nov. 13 shooting victims
By Finn Trainer | 4 hours agoIn response to the decision to paint over the original memorial, multiple members of the University community took to Beta Bridge late Thursday afternoon to paint another memorial.
New School of Data Science building advances interdisciplinary, data-driven work
By Lexie Stadler | 8 hours agoEmma Candelier, director of communications for the SDS, said that the building provides a distinct collaborative space to data science students for the first time.
Honor Committee plans Dorm Talks and finals week initiatives
By Lexie Stadler | 2 days agoIn an effort to enhance student outreach and introduce incoming students to the Honor System, the Committee will reintroduce Dorm Talks in the Fall 2024 semester.
