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Laptop thieves hit science buildings

Campus thefts are becoming an unwelcome trend at Haverford.

The rash of thefts began when two laptops were stolen from a hallway in the KINSC on December 7. Two more laptops were stolen on January 21 from the East Wing of the KINSC, followed by the theft of a wallet from a backpack in the DC lobby on January 29.

The most recent theft occurred on February 5, when two laptops were taken from Hilles.

One of those laptops belonged to Dave Colletta ’13, who says his computer was in his backpack, zipped up and tucked under a chair. In the half-hour that his belongings were left unattended,  the thief stole his laptop and another left unattended in the Science Library, one floor above.

Director of Safety and Security Tom King says that while the campus has dealt with similar theft issues in the past, only now has it resurfaced as a problem. He advises students not to leave bags or valuables unattended for any amount of time, no matter how short it may seem.

While there is much speculation about who and how many people are involved in these thefts,  King says that he “wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same person,” as opposed to four unrelated cases. Aside from the wallet theft in the DC, the science buildings appear to be the main target. As the suspect was caught on tape in the DC lobby theft, the thieves could be taking advantage of the KINSC’s lack of security cameras.

King says that based on his experience, he doesn’t think Haverford students are doing the stealing, although no one can be sure until the person is caught. Haverford has been working closely with the local police throughout the investigation, and King is “cautiously optimistic” that the perpetrator will be caught in the near future.

Until then, King strongly encourages students to carry their belongings with them, and asks that any suspicious activity be reported to Safety and Security, at (610)-896-1111.

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