Miami University released the year's seventh Campus Crime Alert regarding a series of four burglaries both on and off campus occurring between Sept. 17 and Oct. 28.
At almost 10 a.m. Sunday, Miami senior Megan Stroh reported to the Oxford Police Department (OPD) that her residence at 17 W. Walnut St. had been entered the evening before.
According to the report, Stroh's roommate woke up to discover that a window screen had been pulled off and someone had entered the residence. Blankets were reportedly removed from the couch next to the window and leaves were on the floor of the living room. Only four of the seven roommates of the house were home, but an investigation allegedly found that nothing had been removed from the house.
At around 1 a.m. Thursday it was also reported that items were stolen after a burglary of a residence hall room in Brandon Hall.
Miami first-years Drew Harkleroad and Justin Zubrod reported to the Miami University Police Department (MUPD) that while Harkleroad stepped outside the room and Zubrod slept in the early hours of the morning, someone entered their room and took a MacBook laptop computer and a cell phone. Zubrod said he woke up and immediately noticed his computer was gone and Harkleroad noticed his phone had disappeared from his bed. The door of the room was reportedly unlocked at the time of the burglary.
Campus Crime Alert #3 that was released to the campus Sept. 9, during which first-year Frederick Meyer had another Apple computer taken from his room, was also in proximity to the latest burglary.
Harkleroad said a front door to the residence hall had a broken lock, so anyone could enter the building by pulling on it. He said the university has since fixed the door.
"This year's been really intense," Harkleroad said. "I don't think I should have to lock the door when I'm sleeping at night here (at Miami)."
Zubrod said that it appears that his burglary and the past computer theft could be related, as both happened on the same floor. He said that whoever entered his room last Thursday must have observed his and Harkleroad's habits because of the small time window of the burglary.
"(It's) made me more aware of my own personal safety, like especially locking our door," Zubrod said. "It changes my habits."
According to Lt. Andrew Powers of MUPD, an iPod and a lockbox were taken from a room in Minnich Hall sometime in September. The females told police they were not sure when the items were taken, but they believed it was sometime last month.
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Powers said it is too early to tell if the incidences included in Campus Crime Alert #7 are connected, but that they are all still under investigation with both MUPD and OPD.
He also stressed that personal safety of locking doors while on campus is instrumental in preventing burglaries and theft of possessions like electronics.
"The sheer number of iPods on campus makes them a target," Powers said. "They're fairly small, fairly easy to take and fairly valuable. It makes them more attractive as items to steal. Crime prevention is always something you should keep in mind. An unlocked door is an unlocked door."
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