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Freshmen students living on the first floor of Thayer Hall were burglarized between the hours of 7 p.m. on Oct. 5 and 1 a.m. on Oct. 6, resulting in the theft of $5,670 worth of property, according to the Harvard University Police Department.
An unidentified individual entered Thayer, a freshman dorm in Harvard Yard, through a window and stole three Apple laptops, an iPad, two wallets, cash, electronic accessories, and a $600 Tissot watch, according to HUPD’s daily police logs.
HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano wrote in an emailed statement that “this incident is under investigation.”
“It is the longstanding policy of the Harvard University Police Department to not comment on open investigations,” Catalano added.
Two students were living in the room in Thayer that was burglarized. One of the students whose property was stolen in the incident wrote in a text message that they “felt very anxious the following nights as we felt the security was insufficient.”
The student added that Harvard Yard Operations employees were scheduled to install a theft barrier in the window that the perpetrator used to enter their dorm in Thayer. A representative for Harvard Yard Operations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
In his statement, Catalano wrote that more than 450 thefts have been reported to HUPD annually over the past three years.
Sidney M. Regelbrugge ’28, who also lives on the first floor of Thayer, said she felt that the break-in served as a necessary “bubble burst.”
“We need to realize that we’re in the city, and it’s important to lock up,” she added.
Tyareth S. Ramirez ’28, another Thayer resident, said that though she generally feels safe living in Thayer, the incident was unnerving.
“I don’t like knowing that it happened in Thayer, and that it happened on the first floor,” she said.
Other Thayer residents, however, were less concerned about the possibility of additional crimes occurring in the dormitory.
“Honestly, I don't really have any worries about it,” said Richard Y. Rodgers ’28, another first-floor resident.
“I’m not particularly concerned about anything, but I can see why people would be,” Rodgers added.
Regelbrugge said that the College could consider additional ID checks to increase a sense of safety on Harvard’s campus or even close the Yard to non-Harvard affiliates.
“I think ID checks are a good precaution or a good measure,” Regelbrugge added. “I think the gate closing just kind of would spook away anyone who’s thinking about coming in because it’s like, ‘Oh, there’s active police on campus.’”
