By Sam Adams

Campus Security is investigating the theft of lighting and sound equipment, worth $30,000, from Rugby auditorium during winter break. There were no signs of forced entry and the security camera security to the scene of the crime had been disabled. Though there are no current suspects, Head of Security Jim Crawford believes that the perpetrator had some intimate knowledge of the school security system.

“Let’s just say nobody broke open a door or picked a lock,” Crawford said.

President Thomas C. Hudnut agrees with Crawford’s assessment of the crime.

“It seems to me that it could only be someone with a high degree of familiarity with the school and its environs,” Hudnut said. “Otherwise it seems improbable that someone would just randomly walk into a school, know exactly the right place, know exactly what equipment to take, which is very troubling.”

A lighting board, its associated computer, and some microphones were taken in the burglary, which Crawford said occurred in the days preceding or following Christmas. The thieves, Crawford said, knew which items were most valuable and only took those, leaving the rest.

Campus Security took fingerprints from the scene and has some video from cameras that were farther away. The video is currently being checked and analyzed.

“We have some information that looks pretty good, but we have to get it cleaned up,” Crawford said. “If it doesn’t clean up then we really have nothing at all.”

The winter break theft was not the first time the school has been robbed of equipment. Hudnut recalled an incident he estimates took place three years ago, in which a former employee stole sound equipment and was subsequently arrested.

“Given the number of people who go in and out of the place on a daily basis, and the amount of equipment that we have, I don’t think having something stolen every three years can’t be classified as not uncommon,” Hudnut said.