BU thefts possibly connected to other local universities

 A string of thefts that occurred on the weekend of Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 in Centennial Hall is under investigation by the Bloomsburg University police department, and may be connected to similar thefts, which occurred on the same weekend involving small electronic devices at both Bucknell University and Penn State University at Hazelton.

            As the university has announced, laptops, digital cameras and iPods have been stolen from both Centennial Hall as well as the Student Recreation Center.  Faculty and staff office doors, drawers and cabinets were pried open in Centennial and lockers that had locks on them were still compromised in the Rec. Center locker rooms, according to a Campus Alert from Oct. 30.

            A laptop owned by Dr. Julie Kontos, a BU psychology professor, was stolen from Centennial where, days later, it was discovered to have over 500 student and alumni social-security numbers from 2004 through 2006 on its’ hard drive.  BU has since contacted all of the students and alumni who may be affected. 

            Mike Shapeero, a BU accounting professor and coordinator for the fraud examination concentration at BU, shared tips on how to tell if you are a victim, what to do if your identity has been stolen and also how to prevent it by regularly watching your credit.  His tips and a list of free credit report programs are available on the BU Today page.

            The investigation still remains open however, so details are not being released at this point said Rosalee Rush, Director of Communications at BU.

            The university is shut down on the weekends, but because it is a public building, it cannot be completely locked up said Rush. 

            Individual offices are allowed to be locked, but the thief or thief’s were able to pry open the doors, and get away with relative ease.  No video evidence has come up as of yet, and because the campus is frequently empty on Sundays and Centennials front doors remain unlocked, walking in could conceivably be done with relative ease.

            According to Rush, no suspicious activity was reported at the time of the thefts that occurred that weekend.

Because of the ongoing nature of the investigation, many details have yet to be worked out.  Dr. Julie Kontos could not be reached for comment.                          At this point, BUPD are not releasing information about the investigation specifically.