Dramatic rise in dorm theft over vacation

Students leaving the University campus in search of warmer climates this Spring Break trusted their valuables would be safe in their dormitories. But an influx of crime concentrated in the Wilson College quadrangle, Rockefeller College Office and Ivy Club left Public Safety wary of the unusual number and magnitude of recent burglaries.

Public Safety Crime Prevention Specialist Barry Weiser said the number of burglaries — totaling eight since March 15 — was surprising. He said Public Safety usually sees one burglary per week.

Weiser said he believed several of the thefts were not isolated events.

One 19-year-old resident of Gauss Hall reported that more than $4,300 of computer equipment, jewelry and personal items had been stolen between March 15-24. Entry to the room was gained through the ground floor window.

The crime reported by a 1937 Hall resident was executed similarly. The burglar gained entry to the dormitory through a ground floor window and took a value of $2,750 in computer equipment. Another report from a resident of 1937 Hall stated that unknown persons entered the victim's room, but nothing appeared to be missing.

When $1530 in DVDs, video games and jewelry was stolen from a room in 1938 Hall on March 18, the thief also "pried open a window" to enter the victim's room.

The strong similarities among the reported crimes led Public Safety and Princeton Borough Police to believe that the series of recent incidents is part of an organized operation.

"We assume that there are one or two people working together to do this," Weiser said.

Weiser said the burglars "found themselves targets of opportunity during break and just kept going."

In response to the three forcible and five nonforcible burglaries since March 15, Public Safety has increased its patrol by putting extra officers on duty since the weekend, Weiser said. But their investigation has not resulted in any leads.

"We hope to catch him in the next couple of days unless he stops because [students have] returned to campus," Weiser said.

Arrests have been made, however, in two other Spring Break crimes.

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Public Safety officers stopped 24-year-old Rutgers University Rowing Coach Daniel Newman on March 15. Newman was found with $400 in clothing and traffic cones from the Rockefeller College Office. He was accused, arrested and later turned over to Borough Police.

Charles Louden '04 was arrested in front of Quadrangle Club after entering Ivy Club and allegedly smashing a $5,000 grandfather clock on March 21. Louden was charged with criminal mischief and released with summons. He declined to comment on the incident.

(Princetonian Senior Writer Silla Brush contributed to this article.)