Campus bookstore reports two incidents of theft in past week

The U-Store has been a target of theft twice in the last week, according to recently-released police reports. The two incidents, however, are not related, police said.

Cameras installed in the store recorded a break-in early Sunday morning by an individual wearing a ski mask, according to Capt. Anthony Federico of the Princeton Borough Police.

Police have not been able to identify the individual who broke in through a window and stole several hand-held Palm Pilot computers, valued at approximately $932.

The second incident occurred last Tuesday. Police arrested Brock Evenson '05 for shoplifting merchandise valued at $448.90. When arrested, Evenson was found to be in possession of three knives.

He was charged with shoplifting and possession of weapons, police officials said. He was released with a summons pending a court appearance.

"The items that I made the mistake of shoplifting, they were books and some other materials that I was getting for class," Evenson said in an interview yesterday.

"I was foolish in thinking that I should take them when I didn't have the money at the time."

Evenson said he carries knives because he was a boy scout, and has carried knives since he was 13 or 14 years old.

The knives were not connected in any way with the incident, he said.

" I wasn't using my conscience at all, I just thought I needed these things for my classes. It was a one-time mistake where I learned I can never cast my conscience astray."

U-Store director of operations John Augustine said theft occurs regularly, but not of this magnitude.

"As with any retail establishment, we do have shoplifters," U-Store Director of Operations John Augustine explained.

"I wouldn't say [shoplifting is] routine, but that happens fairly regularly."

"There was a break-in Sunday morning. It's the first time I'm aware of something like that since I've been here, and I've been here six years," he said.

The U-Store has added several new security features over the last year, but Augustine declined to say whether the store is considering new measures in response to the recent incidents.