Strange Thefts Shake House
Cambridge, Ma (United States):
Detectives from the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) are investigating a bizarre series of thefts that took place in several rooms in Lowell House last Friday and this past Monday, in which several thousand dollars worth of electronics equipment was stolen but other obvious valuables were left untouched.
The robberies came just days after $2,000 in cash and $520 in checks were stolen from a room in Lowell’s K entryway on Sept. 20.
According to HUPD spokeswoman Peggy McNamara, Friday afternoon’s robbery occurred in L entryway, and two more thefts took place in A and B entryways on Monday evening. In the first incident, $4,350 worth of equipment was stolen; in the second, the suspects left with objects valued at $800; and in the third, a video camera, a digital camera, and some DVDs—with a total value of $820—were taken. But conversations with the victims suggest that in all three thefts, the burglar—or burglars—strangely overlooked obvious valuables and went straight for specific items instead.
Corey L. Waller ’06, whose flatscreen television, laptop computer, PlayStation, and watch were stolen from his room in L entryway on Friday, said that even though he had other valuable objects lying around, the suspects seemed to target certain goods in his particular room.“It’s not like your usual theft,” he said.
“Right next to my TV were Gucci boxes with jewelry in them. I had seven watches there, but they only took one. And they took the Playstation but not the wires, the controllers, or any games. It’s just weird.
It’s almost like they were picking stuff that they needed.”And Ansel S. Witthaus ’06, who had his video camera, digital camera, and some DVDs stolen from his bedroom in A entryway on Monday, said that the suspects made off with only three or four DVDs—even though there were about 100 in his room.
In all three cases, the burglars also only targeted items in one of two roommates’ rooms.
Sept 28, 2005
Reed B. Rayman, Harvard Crimson, MA
Cambridge, Ma (United States):Detectives from the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) are investigating a bizarre series of thefts that took place in several rooms in Lowell House last Friday and this past Monday, in which several thousand dollars worth of electronics equipment was stolen but other obvious valuables were left untouched.
The robberies came just days after $2,000 in cash and $520 in checks were stolen from a room in Lowell’s K entryway on Sept. 20.
According to HUPD spokeswoman Peggy McNamara, Friday afternoon’s robbery occurred in L entryway, and two more thefts took place in A and B entryways on Monday evening. In the first incident, $4,350 worth of equipment was stolen; in the second, the suspects left with objects valued at $800; and in the third, a video camera, a digital camera, and some DVDs—with a total value of $820—were taken. But conversations with the victims suggest that in all three thefts, the burglar—or burglars—strangely overlooked obvious valuables and went straight for specific items instead.
Corey L. Waller ’06, whose flatscreen television, laptop computer, PlayStation, and watch were stolen from his room in L entryway on Friday, said that even though he had other valuable objects lying around, the suspects seemed to target certain goods in his particular room.“It’s not like your usual theft,” he said.
“Right next to my TV were Gucci boxes with jewelry in them. I had seven watches there, but they only took one. And they took the Playstation but not the wires, the controllers, or any games. It’s just weird.
It’s almost like they were picking stuff that they needed.”And Ansel S. Witthaus ’06, who had his video camera, digital camera, and some DVDs stolen from his bedroom in A entryway on Monday, said that the suspects made off with only three or four DVDs—even though there were about 100 in his room.
In all three cases, the burglars also only targeted items in one of two roommates’ rooms.
Sept 28, 2005
Reed B. Rayman, Harvard Crimson, MA
