Over the past month, students at Victoria College on the northeast part of campus have been subject to numerous break-ins and thefts. The thefts have occurred at Rowell Jackman Hall, a Vic residence with suites that consist of a common living room and kitchen area, and one or two-person bedrooms.
The thief, who is still loose, seemed to operate in the same way each time, gaining access to the common area of the suites by knocking on the door and claiming to be a friend of one of the suite members. He knew who lived in each suite because students’ names are taped onto each door at the beginning of the year and many students do not remove the tags. Once admitted by the unsuspecting suitemate, the thief waited around until left alone and broke into the individual rooms by using a credit card to pop open the lock.
After two students had their laptops stolen, the matter was brought before the dean’s office, who has announced upgrades to the safety of the building. Members of the physical plant services will be checking the suite doors to make sure that the extra safety latch is in working condition. In addition, stricker plates of each door, which attach to the door frame, will be replaced. In the meantime, students are advised to not leave anyone who is not personally known to them alone in their suite.
