Series of thefts reported in South Campus over winter break

“There’s always a chance that it might happen,” said BUPD Captain Robert Molloy. “We have had some burglaries over the years, especially at some of the Beacon Street addresses, but I don’t recall in recent times many of the Buswell or Mountfort Street addresses getting burglarized.”

BUPD responded to a call received at 6 p.m. on Friday from three female students reporting a break-in at their third-floor apartment, Molloy said. Students reported missing two laptops, some jewelry and a small flat screen TV.

The students told BUPD they left their apartment around 11 a.m., locked their apartment door and returned home around 5 p.m. to find items moved. Police found pry marks on the basement rear door they think are from suspects.

“We think that they entered that way and made their way up to the third floor and entered the apartment,” Molloy said.

Officers removed a number of items from the first apartment for fingerprint dusting and evidence processing.

Similar crimes were reported over the last week, including a burglary reported on Sunday. BUPD received a call from three male students, just returning from break, who also live on the third floor of the residence. Some coins and a bicycle were reported as stolen in the burglary, which police suspect also took place Friday.

“We are investigating both incidents,” Molloy said. “We have no indication that the suspects are BU students, but we still have video surveillance to look at, so we may get more information on that as this investigation develops.”

In addition to the two burglaries, a male and female student reported separately around Tuesday at 5 p.m. that packages were stolen from the lobby at the address. Police suspect the package thefts could even be related to the burglaries.

Students wishing to talk to police about the burglaries can do so on Jan. 22 with Sargent Nuzzi of BUPD, according to Molloy and an email sent to residents by BU Residence Life.

“But we haven’t received any calls or emails from students yet,” Molloy said. “Usually when people have concerns, they email us about them.”

Chelsea Fairbanks, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences who lives on the fourth floor of 46 Mountfort St., said she has never heard of any problems in the building except for her recently stolen Amazon package.

“Who wants my $3 books?” Fairbanks said. “But I don’t feel like there’s much I can do.”

Another student, Andrew Channing, a former resident of 40 Buswell St. on a leave of absence, said he plans to live on South Campus again in the fall.

“Generally, I feel very safe in South Campus,” Channing, a freshman in the College of General Studies, said. “I take comfort in the fact that if you take the right procedures to secure your room, your chances are very slim of being robbed.”

“Keeping your area secure and making sure you’re aware of your surroundings is always important, and reporting anything suspicious you see to police is key, too,” Molloy said.