Maddie Conley
Online Editor
The Upper Allen Police Department is continuing to investigate reports of an unidentified man stealing a credit card from an employee’s office on March 7th. The suspect, as caught on a campus surveillance camera, is suspected of similar thefts on campus in 2016 and last summer.
Retrieved from upperallenpoilce.com
Retrieved from upperallenpoilce.com
Director of The Department of Safety, Lynn Maynard said that the incident was turned over to the Upper Allen Police Department. “They are running an active investigation, we do assist when they request us, but we can not run what is called a parallel investigation,” Maynard said.
Maynard could not divulge who the victim was, nor could he give an isolated area where it took place because “that’s too close to the investigation,” Maynard said. He did mention that it was in an office in the sports complex.
Maynard reminded students to keep valuables in a safe place. He said that when you are at Lottie or the Union make sure you leave your bag to be watched by a friend. “A lot of times theft is a crime of opportunity,” Maynard said. He included that there are many reasons people may steal. They may be looking to pawn the item for cash, they might not have it themselves and want it, or it may be out of compulsion.
It’s part of who we are [at Messiah], we are very welcoming and trusting, but that trust can be twisted,” Maynard said. “Even if you’re going down the hall, lock your door.” He also said to make sure you recognize the person coming into the building behind you before you hold the door for them. “We need to look at it as a community what can we each do.” He suggests thinking about it as “what can I do to ensure not only my safety, but my friend’s safety.”
Maynard also encouraged reaching out to the Safety Officers with any concerns. “If you observe behavior that appears to be odd and stands out to you, it is vital you notify the Department of Safety immediately,” Maynard said. “You have to follow your gut instinct.”
If you possess any information on the identity of the man you are asked to call The Upper Allen PD at (717) 238-9676. You can also text a tip anonymously to (717) 850-UAPD.
More information will be published as it becomes available.