2008 Woodie Awards
Townhouses break-in
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News
An Amherst Police detective noted, yesterday, that college students bring nice things to school: personal electronics, entertainment systems, things that can make anyone envious - burglars included.
Amherst Police received a call at roughly 11:30 a.m. from a University of Massachusetts student who said his apartment at 46 Townhouses was burglarized while he was at class between 8:00 and 11:30 a.m.
Luke O'Brian, a victim of the burglary, said two laptops, five video games, a HDTV power cord, several bath towels, a bottle of cologne and a Playstation 3 console were stolen. The estimated value of all the allegedly stolen goods is believed to be over $2,000.
According to Amherst Police, there was no form of forced entry as the burglar is expected to have entered the dwelling from an unlocked sliding glass door. The Townhouses apartment community features several building clusters. The victim's residence is situated on the quad, and all sliding doors face towards the quad's center.
O'Brian suspected the intruder could have entered through the front door. His door does not allow for someone without a key to lock the rear door while exiting the residence. He suspects that as his brother, who does not have a key, closed the door on his way out without locking it. The door has a bolt lock that allows for a resident to secure the door from the outside using a keyhole above the door, but it was of no use to him.
Amherst Police said the investigation is ongoing, but offer little else no physical evidence was left behind. The department suggests keeping expensive electronics away from windows and doors and said failing to lock doors only allows for potential burglars to perform unwanted window shopping.
-William McGuinness
Amherst Police received a call at roughly 11:30 a.m. from a University of Massachusetts student who said his apartment at 46 Townhouses was burglarized while he was at class between 8:00 and 11:30 a.m.
Luke O'Brian, a victim of the burglary, said two laptops, five video games, a HDTV power cord, several bath towels, a bottle of cologne and a Playstation 3 console were stolen. The estimated value of all the allegedly stolen goods is believed to be over $2,000.
According to Amherst Police, there was no form of forced entry as the burglar is expected to have entered the dwelling from an unlocked sliding glass door. The Townhouses apartment community features several building clusters. The victim's residence is situated on the quad, and all sliding doors face towards the quad's center.
O'Brian suspected the intruder could have entered through the front door. His door does not allow for someone without a key to lock the rear door while exiting the residence. He suspects that as his brother, who does not have a key, closed the door on his way out without locking it. The door has a bolt lock that allows for a resident to secure the door from the outside using a keyhole above the door, but it was of no use to him.
Amherst Police said the investigation is ongoing, but offer little else no physical evidence was left behind. The department suggests keeping expensive electronics away from windows and doors and said failing to lock doors only allows for potential burglars to perform unwanted window shopping.
-William McGuinness
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