Using Harvard houses for summer storage has never been safe, and this year saw an unusual array of thefts and damage to stored goods, students and Harvard police say.

Lamps, couches, television sets and, in one case, more than $1,000 worth of furniture were lost or ruined over the summer and during the opening week of school.

Some houses did better than others in protecting students' stuff. While Cabot, Currier, Mather, Adams, Kirkland and Dunster Houses generally did well in keeping items secure, Lowell, Eliot, Winthrop, North, Leverett and Quincy Houses experienced numerous storage problems, according to informal interviews with dozens of students.

In Lowell House, an unidentified student filed a report with Harvard police claiming that a television, three down pillows, a duvet cover and several other items--total value of $1,130--were missing from storage.

"There is no security," said Jennifer S. Frautschi '96, who lost a $75 rug and a heater. "I'm quite shocked actually."

Frautschi said the house's honor system seems to be failing. Since only students have access to stored furniture, it is inevitable that missing items were taken by fellow students, she said.

Asked about storage security, house superintendent Jay Coveney declined to comment.

Over in Eliot House, the problem was water. One storage room was flooded in mid-summer.

"Some friends had boxes moved around because of the flood and I didn't find all my things until the last day," said Eliot resident John S. Burkhart '95, whose three roommates have each lost several items.

House superintendent Hank L. Slonina insisted yesterday: "What we put away, we find."

But the residents of several houses said they were concerned by the case with which boxes could be removed from storage rooms this fall. Students said house personnel did not check labels to ensure that items were claimed by their owners.

At Adams House storage, four roommates, who live in Claverly Hall, lost a couch. After one of the students found the couch in an Adams House hallway, the entire rooming group returned to pick it up the next day. By then, it was gone.

'Considerably Smoother'

Superintendents seemed to agree that the storage process was virtually flawless. In Adams House, superintendent William B. Long said he has not received any complaints.

And Dunster House superintendent Joseph O'Connor said he believed storage went without a hitch.

"I am surprised that it went considerably smoother than in years past," O'Connor said.