Nine more laptops were stolen since The Eagle last reported the thefts on Feb. 14, according to compliance coordinator in the Department of Public Safety Adam Cooper.
Four laptops alone were stolen from March 31 to April 1.
Thee nine total thefts occurred in offices and classrooms that were unlocked, Cooper said in an email.
While students continue to report encounters with a suspect in their residence halls, Cooper said Public Safety is not releasing any information regarding a possible suspect.
“DPS cannot comment on suspects at this time due to the fact that this is an ongoing investigation,” Cooper said.
RHA launches awareness campaign
In light of these recent thefts, Housing and Dining posted fliers in the South Campus residence halls during the first week of March, according to assistant director for learning communities and assessment Ryan T. Anderson.
The fliers offer a $500 reward “for any information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) connected to the recent laptop thefts.”
While a DPS email and telephone number appear at the bottom of the fliers, Public Safety was not involved in posting the fliers, Cooper said.
The Residence Hall Association has also released a video to raise awareness of the issue.
RHA President Fiona Erickson appears in the minute-and-a-half YouTube clip, which features a hooded “thief” sneaking into a formal lounge and attempting to steal three laptops, with the James Bond theme song playing in the background.
“We are getting a lot of positive feedback,” Erickson said.
RHA is trying to dispel the notion that students are “ratting people out” by reporting incidents of theft, she said.
She said it is easy to enter Anderson Hall and get access to all of the South Side dorms just by claiming to go to the Perch or the Housing and Dining offices located there.
In this awareness campaign, RHA wants residents to keep two tips in mind, according to Erickson.
“One is to protect your stuff, and the second is to be aware of your surroundings,” she said.
The Metropolitan Police Department has also been involved in the investigation. Cooper would not say when MPD first became involved.
“MPD has been to campus to investigate several of these incidents,” Cooper said.
This has included “crime scene technicians,” Cooper said.
Because the investigation is ongoing, he would not comment as to when and where MPD were collecting evidence. However, he did confirm that MPD and Public Safety are investigating the thefts that occurred this past weekend.
SG senator tables laptop theft bill
After reading The Eagle’s previous story on thefts, School of Public Affairs sophomore and Senator-At-Large Joe Wisniewski began writing a bill advocating for DPS to take more action to ensure laptop safety.
However, after meeting with RHA and DPS and learning about their efforts, Wisniewski tabled the measure, deeming it unnecessary for now.
“Public Safety is definitely taking very proactive steps to solve the problem,” Wisniewski said.
Anyone with information regarding the laptop thefts can report anonymously to Public Safety at their telephone number, (202) 885-2527, or e-mail them at dps@american.edu.
RMIGEED@theeagleonline.com
