"
Two males claiming to need medical supplies burglarized neighboring freshman dorm rooms at a Rutgers University residence hall Thursday, according to police. Both incidents took place Thursday evening between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the Katzenbach Residence Hall, and were reported simultaneously, police said in a statement. A freshman student told News 12 after the two young men hit the Katzenbach Residence Hall, they showed up in her dorm, and knocked on her door, just a short walk away. “It’s two random guys and they’re not like 'Hello, how are you?', they’re like 'We need a Band-Aid,' and they seemed urgent about it,” said Alex, a Rutgers freshman. Alex handed them the requested bandages, but she says the interaction was too quick to steal anything. Victims told police they were summoned to their doors by two males who requested Band-Aids. As the residents began retrieving the medical supplies, the two suspects entered the rooms without permission. After being handed the bandages, the suspects left without any issues. It wasn't until after they left that the students discovered their wallets had been removed from the rooms. “He actually had an injury on his knuckle...so I was like 'Yeah, I’m going to give you a bandage.' I don’t know why they were so persistent it was urgent because it was just a little cut,” she said. Alex says the two men went to other rooms inside her dorm also asking for bandages. It's not known if any other items were stolen. Police say both males are described as being between 18 and 21 years old. The first suspect is described as a light-skinned male with an athletic build. He is believed to be between 5 feet, 6 inches and 5 feet, 8 inches tall and was wearing a backwards blue New York Yankees baseball cap, black shirt, red shorts with "ANGEL" inscribed along the front portion, white necklace and white sneakers. The second suspect is described as a light-skinned male with a thin build. He is described as being about 5 feet, 5 inches tall and was wearing a black shirt, black jogger-style sweatpants and white sneakers. Katzenbach Residence Hall houses more than 200 freshman students on the Rutgers New Brunswick campus. The burglaries come on the heels of two motorcycle thefts reported earlier this week on the Livingston campus in Piscataway. A string of vehicle burglaries took place a week earlier on the university's Biomedical and Health Sciences campus in Newark. In August, Rutgers University police investigated a burglary at Sigma Chi Fraternity House on College Avenue in New Brunswick. Alex tells News 12 in the wake of Thursday night’s incident and the other crimes, she’s already changed her daily habits. “I really think about everything I do. I’m not holding the door for anyone. I’m locking the door the second I walk into my room, I lock it when I use the bathroom. Yeah it takes more time but it’s really what you have to do now,” she said. Rutgers University police are asking anyone for information on these incidents to contact the university's detective bureau at 848-932-8025. Police also urge students to take safety precautions, including locking doors and securing workspaces when not in use and staying alert. They also say students should avoid leaving valuables unattended or propping open doors. Students are also advised to immediately report any suspicious activity. The Rutgers University Police Department provides escorts to students, faculty and staff upon request. The escorts will accompany community members on campus to their vehicles, campus housing or the university's mass transit system. To request a security escort, contact the police communications center at 732-932-7211. "
Local News
