A Lowell House man's alertness and a phone call to the University police have led to the arrest of a suspected ring of thieves and to the recovery of thousands of dollars worth of property stolen from Harvard Houses.

On Monday night, Oct. 13, Russel P. Pennoyer '73 sat alone in his room. He heard steps in the hallway, saw his doorknob turn slowly and found a young man in his late teens, over six feet tall, standing at the entrance.

Pennoyer asked the man what he was doing. He replied that he was looking for "Fred." Pennoyer suggested that he check in the superintendent's office.

"At first, it didn't really occur to me that he was robbing rooms," Pennoyer said. "After a few minutes, I asked the superintendent if a black man over six feet tall had come around."

The superintendent and Pennoyer looked for the man in Pennoyer's entry. Not being able to find him, the superintendent called the University police.

Pennoyer stood at the exit to the Lowell courtyard with one policeman, while two others searched the House. As the man approached the exit with a $300 camera slung over his shoulder, Pennoyer pointed him out, and the police stopped him for questioning.

The suspect, when pressed about the camera, insisted that it belonged to him and that he had carried it under his jacket when Pennoyer first saw him. Police then asked the suspect to name the student whom he was visiting. They checked the Harvard listings and quickly determined that no such student went to the College.

The University police, not having enough evidence to arrest the suspect for larceny or for trespassing (no trespassing warnings are posted in House courtyards), threatened to lock him up if he was ever seen again on Harvard property.

Suspect Misunderstood

The suspect, a heroin addict on probation who was undergoing withdrawal, apparently misunderstood. He promised that if the police did not arrest him, he would give them information about recent thefts.

At this point, the University Police telephoned Harvard Lieut. Theodore Thompson, who does full-time investigative work. He drove into Cambridge to do the interrogation.

"I had informed him that whatever he said would not bar him from future arrests," Thompson said. "While he sat in my office. I called his house and just left a message that 'Ted called.' When I got off the phone, he thanked me for not letting his mother know what had happened."

Under questioning, the suspect-whom Thompson does not want identified-revealed the whereabouts of two "fences"-middlemen who deal in stolen property. One "fence," who had jumped bail and was named in four separate warrants, was arrested the following day and is now being held on $5000 bail.

Most of the items found in his apartment belonged to Harvard students. The raid uncovered six cameras, one television, one stereo, one watch and other less valuable goods.

The first "fence," under Boston Police questioning, cited as a partner the Lowell House suspect. Three days later, Cambridge police arrested the Lowell House suspect and two of his brothers on charges of breaking and entering.

The arrest of the second "fence," reputed to be an even bigger dealer in stolen property, is still pending.