By: Ava McCormick, Staff Writer
Colorado College Campus Safety issued a campus-wide warning on Thursday, Sept. 10, alerting the community of two burglaries that occurred in South Hall during the previous week.
According to the alert, the incidents posed an ongoing risk of theft to campus residents. At the time the warning was issued, no suspects had been identified and Campus Safety said there was no indication that individuals outside of CC were involved, unlike the Loomis Hall Burglaries that also occurred in early September.
In subsequent communications, Campus Safety stated that information regarding the South Hall burglaries has been referred to the college’s conduct process.
Gil Vaught, the Resident Life Coordinator of South Hall, said he was not initially made aware of the thefts before the campuswide alert was distributed, but Campus Safety followed up with him shortly after sending the email. After that conversation, Vaught met with Resident Advisors (RAs) for South, Jackson and Lennox halls to emphasize safety practices. Additionally, Vaught stressed the importance of RAs verifying a student’s room assignment before issuing lockout keys and submitting any necessary lock change requests immediately.
Campus Safety has not released the exact dates or times of the South Hall incidents, the methods of entry, nor the specific descriptions and estimated values of the stolen property.
Campus Safety clarified that the South Hall break-ins are separate from recent incidents in Loomis Hall, which were also the subject of a warning email. The Loomis incidents occurred on two different dates, involved a different suspect who was subsequently arrested and prompted an investigation by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CPSD). CPSD was not involved in the South Hall investigation, which is being handled internally.
In the wake of the recent break-ins, officials urged the college community to exercise collective vigilance, specifically reminding students to prevent “piggybacking,” where unauthorized individuals follow behind cardholders through secured doors.
Officials also recommended that residents keep room doors locked, refrain from propping open or altering door locks and latches, keep room keys on hand, store valuables in room safes and maintain records of valuable property, including serial numbers, receipts and photos.
Anyone with information about the incidents or observing suspicious activity is urged to contact Campus Safety at (719) 389-6707 or by email at campussafety@coloradocollege.edu.