On January 11, a break-in occurred in the Engineering Society’s (EngSoc) Blue and Gold Room in the Sandford Fleming Building. Personal items belonging to EngSoc members, items related to the group’s heritage, and $800 of student-raised money set to be donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank were reportedly stolen in the incident.

The break-in also resulted in damage to EngSoc property totalling over $400.

According to a breach of security statement released by members of the Blue and Gold Committee, which is in charge of many of the society’s activities and events, the room was opened using blunt instruments. Once the perpetrators entered the Blue and Gold Room, they reportedly used tools taken from the room to enter several other rooms in the vicinity.

Teresa Nguyen, EngSoc president, and Alejandro Mejia and Aidan Solala, co-chairs of the Blue and Gold Committee, released their own statement on January 12, in which they speculated that that the incident may have been a “targeted act” carried out as a result of a “malicious” inter-school — or inter-college — “rivalry”.

The break-in occurred at the close of Godiva Week, an annual back-to-school series of events held for engineering students. Like many aspects of engineering culture at the University of Toronto, Godiva Week has deep historical roots, with events such as Ye Grande Olde Chariot Race dating back over 100 years.

Godiva Week is named for Lady Godiva, an eleventh-century Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, who is known for placing the welfare of other people before her own.

“[I]t was turning out to be another fantastic week, but ended on a not so great note with the break in,” said Nguyen when asked about the tone of Godiva Week this year.

The majority of items stolen have since been returned.

On January 13, the Blue and Gold Committee reportedly received an anonymous email taking responsibility for the break-in. The email claimed that the intention of the break-in was not to take extremely valuable items, but only to take school banners as a prank. The email’s author promised to return the items as soon as possible.

“We feel extremely guilty and ashamed to have brought U of T this sort of shame and disappointed so many students. We have all decided to contribute money to pay for damages and we are deeply, deeply sorry,” reads a portion of the email.

A caretaker at the Gailbraith Building later found the items, “including the full amount of cash that was taken.” Some of the personal items recovered had been damaged.

Others, including a trophy and computer monitor, have not yet been returned.

Although the email indicated intent to pay for the $400 in property damages, which included a broken lock and door frame, the Blue and Gold committee has not yet received monetary supplementation.

Members of the Blue and Gold Committee believe that the uproar following the event and the involvement of both Campus Police and Toronto Police Services compelled the culprits to return the items.