Three personal computers were allegedly stolen from the basement floor of St. Albert Hall on the weekend of Sept 28.
The professors from each separate lab notified Public Safety immediately on Monday morning, once the computers were discovered missing, according to the Department of Public Safety.
The 107th Precinct was notified immediately after a preliminary investigation was conducted by Public Safety, and a forensics team was dispatched to brush each laboratory for elimination fingerprints.
“Everyone who has access to the lab would have to be fingerprinted and have a legitimate business being there,” Robert McDonald, the deputy director of Public Safety said.
The case is still under active investigation by Public Safety and the New York Police Department and all internal and external aspects of the alleged theft are being looked at.
“Whether it’s a student, employee, or a visitor, they are not going to get away with this,” Margaret McCann, the executive director of Public Safety, said.
Public safety plans to review their current security procedures and arrangements with Information Technology. IT has agreed to lock down the equipment in the affected laboratories, McDonald said.
McCann said that if a pattern of thefts occur, actions will be taken to avoid a similar situation.
“We have the capability of identifying a pattern and responding to it immediately before it happens again. We will have active vertical or roving patrols, depending if the actions are an outside or inside occurrence,” McCann said.
Despite the actions being taken, resident students still feel threatened.
“Instead of ticketing us and giving out parking violations they should be even more concerned with what is happening right under their noses,” Candice Frederick, a senior journalism major, said. “Parking violations do not secure our safety but breaking and entering is a crime and is jeopardizing our safety and it’s their job to protect.”
According to McDonald, access control is currently under review, but in the meantime McCann and McDonald remind the community that St. John’s is an open campus.
“This is not your home, it is an area that is open to everybody and we want to maintain it that way,” McCann said. “So you should lock your doors, secure your personal items, and be prudent when you conduct your business.”
“I think that’s ridiculous. We are paying $9,000 a year for minimal security, and apparently not peace of mind,” Jacqueline Sudano, a communications major and resident of Hollis Hall. “If I wanted to worry about my stuff being stolen 24-7, I might as well live in a box on Union Turnpike.”
