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MIT

Burglary prompts campus community safety notice burglary

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Under Investigation

MIT Police issued a crime alert / timely warning on or about 2019-01-22. Full text is preserved from the official MIT Police Crime Alerts archive.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Private R1 · MA
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~12,000 studentsMIT Police Timely Warnings
Official alert policy
Read when and how MIT says it will use MIT Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim2102 chars
On January 22, 2019, it was reported to the MIT Police that lab spaces on an upper floor of building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge, were burglarized sometime between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019. The reporting party stated that someone entered the lab spaces on the third floor and removed valuable electronic equipment. The reporting party stated that an unknown individual was seen wandering around in two different areas after being told to leave the building. There were no signs of forced entry to any of the areas involved. The individual that was seen wandering the building is described as male, 17-21 years of age, facial hair and a thin mustache, wearing a beanie style cap with the "thrasher" logo on it and a dark gray winter coat. Suggestions While victims of crimes are never to blame for criminal activity, there are some precautions that can be taken. In order to protect yourself and your belongings from theft and/or facilitate the recovery of your stolen property, MIT Police encourage you to follow these tips: - See Something - Say Something: Immediately notify the MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone if you believe a crime is occurring, has occurred, or is about to occur. - Always lock your office doors and windows. Assure that the locks are in good working order. - Lock your office door if you are leaving (even if only for a minute or two). - When entering or exiting an office, make sure the door closes tightly behind you. - Report suspicious people or activity. Report all tailgaters. The MIT Police want to remind the MIT community that we are located in an urban setting and share many of the crime and safety issues that exist in any city. The MIT Police are investigating this crime and request the assistance from the MIT community. If you wish to leave an anonymous tip please call 617-258-TIPS (8-8477). Issued by Sergeant David J. O'Connor Crime Prevention/Community Policing Unit MIT Police 301 Vassar Street Cambridge, Ma. 02139 617-253-1212
Verify this quote
MIT Police Crime Alerts & Timely Warningspolice.mit.edufind archived copies
Transcribed from official police.mit.edu crime-alert page structured fields (Incident, Suspect, Summary, Suggestions, Issued by).
Page recovered live from MIT Police Crime Alerts archive.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude Opus 5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

On January 22, 2019, it was reported to the MIT Police that lab spaces on an upper floor of building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge, were burglarized sometime between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019. The reporting party stated that someone entered the lab spaces on the third floor and removed valuable electronic equipment. The reporting party stated that an unknown individual was seen wandering around in two different areas after being told to leave the building. There were no signs of forced entry to any of the areas involved. The individual that was seen wandering the building is described as male, 17-21 years of age, facial hair and a thin mustache, wearing a beanie style cap with the "thrasher" logo on it and a dark gray winter coat. Suggestions While victims of crimes are never to blame for criminal activity, there are some precautions that can be taken. In order to protect yourself and your belongings from theft and/or facilitate the recovery of your stolen property, MIT Police encourage you to follow these tips: - See Something - Say Something: Immediately notify the MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone if you believe a crime is occurring, has occurred, or is about to occur. - Always lock your office doors and windows. Assure that the locks are in good working order. - Lock your office door if you are leaving (even if only for a minute or two). - When entering or exiting an office, make sure the door closes tightly behind you. - Report suspicious people or activity. Report all tailgaters. The MIT Police want to remind the MIT community that we are located in an urban setting and share many of the crime and safety issues that exist in any city. The MIT Police are investigating this crime and request the assistance from the MIT community. If you wish to leave an anonymous tip please call 617-258-TIPS (8-8477). Issued by Sergeant David J. O'Connor Crime Prevention/Community Policing Unit MIT Police 301 Vassar Street Cambridge, Ma. 02139 617-253-1212

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The notice is signed "Issued by Sergeant David J. O'Connor, Crime Prevention/Community Policing Unit, MIT Police" with a Vassar Street address, and the report went "to the MIT Police".

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The report goes to the MIT Police and Sergeant David J. O'Connor issues the warning.
    2. present: The notice ends with Sergeant David J. O'Connor, MIT Police, identifying who sent it.
    3. present: Issued by "Sergeant David J. O'Connor" and reported "to the MIT Police".
    4. present: Sergeant David J. O'Connor, MIT Police, is identified at the foot of the notice.
    5. present: Sergeant David J. O'Connor of the MIT Police signs it with a full address block.
    6. present: Reported to "the MIT Police" and signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor of that department.
    7. present: It is signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor of the MIT Police, the issuing office.
    8. present: The report went "to the MIT Police" and is issued by "Sergeant David J. O'Connor".
    9. present: Signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor of the MIT Police, with a Vassar Street address.
    10. present: The MIT Police received the report and Sergeant David J. O'Connor issues it.
    11. present: Reported "to the MIT Police" and signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor of the MIT Police.
    12. present: Reported to the MIT Police and signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor.
    13. present: The MIT Police received the report and Sergeant David J. O'Connor signs the warning.
    14. present: The notice comes from the MIT Police via Sergeant David J. O'Connor.
    15. present: The closing block from Sergeant David J. O'Connor, MIT Police, names who sent it.
    16. present: Issued by "Sergeant David J. O'Connor" of the MIT Police, who received the report.
    17. present: Signed "Sergeant David J. O'Connor, Crime Prevention/Community Policing Unit, MIT Police".
    18. present: Reported to "the MIT Police" and signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor of that department.
    19. present: Reported to "the MIT Police" and signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor.
    20. present: Signed "Sergeant David J. O'Connor ... MIT Police", so the sending agency is clear.
    21. present: "reported to the MIT Police" and "Issued by Sergeant David J. O'Connor" name the sender.
    22. present: Reported to the MIT Police and issued by Sergeant David J. O'Connor.
    23. present: Sergeant David J. O'Connor of the MIT Police Crime Prevention Unit is named as issuer.
    24. present: Reported to "the MIT Police" and issued by "Sergeant David J. O'Connor" of that department.
    25. present: Reported to "the MIT Police" and signed by Sergeant David J. O'Connor.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25, with no dissent. The lab spaces "were burglarized" and someone "removed valuable electronic equipment", naming a specific completed crime.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and equipment removed, naming the specific crime.
    2. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and valuable electronic equipment was removed, a named crime.
    3. present: It states lab spaces "were burglarized" and electronic equipment was removed.
    4. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and an unknown individual was seen wandering the building.
    5. present: It reports lab spaces "were burglarized" with valuable electronic equipment removed.
    6. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and a stranger was found wandering the building.
    7. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and a trespasser was seen wandering after being told to leave.
    8. present: It states lab spaces "were burglarized" and an unknown individual wandered the building.
    9. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and an unknown individual was seen wandering the building.
    10. present: Burglary of lab spaces with equipment removed, plus a person wandering the building, is specified.
    11. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and valuable electronic equipment was removed, a named offense.
    12. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and an unknown individual was seen wandering the building.
    13. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and a wandering unknown individual was seen, naming the crime.
    14. present: It states lab spaces "were burglarized" and electronic equipment was removed.
    15. present: It reports that lab spaces "were burglarized" with equipment removed, a definite crime.
    16. present: It reports that lab spaces "were burglarized" with equipment removed.
    17. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and "valuable electronic equipment" was removed, a named crime.
    18. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and equipment removed, with an unknown individual wandering the building.
    19. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and an unknown individual wandered the building.
    20. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and "valuable electronic equipment" was removed by an unknown person.
    21. present: It reports lab spaces "were burglarized" with "valuable electronic equipment" removed.
    22. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and an unknown individual was wandering the building.
    23. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and valuable electronic equipment was removed.
    24. present: It states lab spaces "were burglarized" and equipment was removed.
    25. present: Lab spaces "were burglarized" and equipment removed, naming the specific crime.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The alert pins the burglary to "lab spaces on an upper floor of building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", later narrowed to the third floor.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It cites "an upper floor of building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge".
    2. present: It cites "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    3. present: The location is "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor.
    4. present: The place is building E14, "located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor.
    5. present: It names "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    6. present: Location is "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", upper floor labs.
    7. present: The site is "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    8. present: It gives "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    9. present: It cites "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    10. present: Building E14, third floor, at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge is named.
    11. present: It specifies "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    12. present: It names building E14 at "75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    13. present: It gives "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor lab spaces.
    14. present: It cites "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge".
    15. present: The location is "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    16. present: It gives "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    17. present: It gives "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    18. present: It names "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    19. present: It specifies "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    20. present: It specifies "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    21. present: The site is "an upper floor of building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge."
    22. present: Location is "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    23. present: It gives "an upper floor of building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge".
    24. present: It names "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
    25. present: It gives "building E14, located at 75 Amherst Street in Cambridge", third floor labs.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. Readers are told to "Always lock your office doors and windows", to lock up even for a minute, to "Report all tailgaters" and to notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The tips direct readers to lock office doors, close doors tightly, and report suspicious people.
    2. present: Readers are directed to lock office doors, watch for tailgaters, and report suspicious persons.
    3. present: It instructs readers to lock office doors and report suspicious people and tailgaters.
    4. present: Readers are told to lock office doors, ensure doors close tightly and report suspicious people.
    5. present: Readers are told to lock office doors, close doors tightly behind them, and report tailgaters.
    6. present: It directs readers to lock office doors, close doors behind them, and report tailgaters.
    7. present: Readers are told to lock office doors, watch that doors close behind them, and report tailgaters.
    8. present: It instructs readers to lock office doors, watch for tailgaters, and notify MIT Police of suspicious activity.
    9. present: Recipients are instructed to lock office doors, close doors behind them and report tailgaters.
    10. present: It instructs readers to lock office doors, report tailgaters, and notify MIT Police immediately.
    11. present: It instructs readers to lock office doors and windows and report suspicious people and tailgaters.
    12. present: Readers are told to lock offices, close doors tightly, and report suspicious people.
    13. present: Tips instruct readers to lock office doors, ensure doors close tightly, and report suspicious people.
    14. present: Readers are told to lock office doors, report tailgaters, and call MIT Police.
    15. present: It instructs readers to lock office doors and report wandering or suspicious individuals.
    16. present: Tips instruct readers to lock office doors, report tailgaters, and notify police immediately.
    17. present: Recipients are told to lock office doors, report tailgaters, and notify police immediately.
    18. present: Readers are told to lock office doors, watch closing doors, and report suspicious people.
    19. present: Readers are told to lock office doors, watch closing doors, and report tailgaters.
    20. present: It advises locking office doors, reporting suspicious people, and calling MIT Police immediately.
    21. present: It advises locking office doors, closing doors tightly, and reporting suspicious people.
    22. present: Readers are instructed to lock office doors and report suspicious people and tailgaters.
    23. present: The tips instruct readers to lock office doors and report suspicious people and tailgaters.
    24. present: It tells readers to lock office doors, report tailgaters, and notify MIT Police at once.
    25. present: Recipients are told to lock office doors, report tailgaters and call MIT Police right away.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The crime window is bracketed "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019", with the report dated January 22, 2019.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The window runs "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    2. present: The window runs from "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019" to "9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019."
    3. present: It gives "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    4. present: The window is "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19".
    5. present: The window is "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    6. present: It brackets the crime from "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019" to "9:00 a.m." the next day.
    7. present: The window is "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    8. present: The window runs "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    9. present: The window spans "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    10. present: The window is 10 p.m. Friday, January 18, 2019 to 9:00 a.m. Saturday, January 19, 2019.
    11. present: The range runs "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    12. present: The window is "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19".
    13. present: The window spans "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    14. present: The window spans "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    15. present: The span "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19" is given.
    16. present: The window is "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    17. present: The window is "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    18. present: It brackets "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    19. present: The window is "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    20. present: The interval "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19" is given.
    21. present: The window runs "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19."
    22. present: The window runs "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m." the next day.
    23. present: The window is "10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    24. present: The window is "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
    25. present: The window is "between 10 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019".
  • Impactpresent16/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 16 of 25, a real split. The majority rests on the stated loss, "removed valuable electronic equipment" with "no signs of forced entry"; nine reads wanted an explicit danger or severity statement, which the notice never gives.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The consequence is stated: someone "removed valuable electronic equipment" from the labs.
    2. absent: The loss of equipment is reported without any claim about danger or how serious the risk is.
    3. absent: Loss of "valuable electronic equipment" is stated without any harm or severity framing.
    4. present: It states that someone "removed valuable electronic equipment", a concrete loss.
    5. absent: Equipment loss is stated without any claim about severity or risk to people.
    6. present: The consequence is theft of assets: someone "removed valuable electronic equipment".
    7. present: The impact is the removal of "valuable electronic equipment" from research lab spaces.
    8. present: The consequence is that someone "removed valuable electronic equipment" from the labs.
    9. present: It notes someone "removed valuable electronic equipment", stating the loss suffered.
    10. present: Valuable electronic equipment was removed with no forced entry, conveying the loss and the access weakness.
    11. absent: Aside from equipment being taken, no danger or degree of seriousness is communicated.
    12. present: It states someone "removed valuable electronic equipment", describing the loss suffered.
    13. present: It notes someone "removed valuable electronic equipment", conveying a significant loss.
    14. absent: The loss of equipment is reported without any statement of danger or gravity.
    15. present: Removal of "valuable electronic equipment" with no forced entry conveys a significant institutional loss.
    16. present: The consequence is stated: someone "removed valuable electronic equipment" from the labs.
    17. absent: The loss of equipment is reported without any statement of risk or seriousness for people.
    18. present: The consequence stated is that someone "removed valuable electronic equipment" from the labs.
    19. present: It conveys the loss of "valuable electronic equipment" removed from the labs.
    20. absent: Equipment loss is reported without any statement of danger or seriousness for the community.
    21. absent: Equipment loss is noted but no consequence or level of danger is communicated.
    22. present: Someone "removed valuable electronic equipment", naming the loss to the labs.
    23. absent: Nothing states how serious the intrusion was or what harm might follow.
    24. present: Someone "removed valuable electronic equipment", an explicit statement of significant loss.
    25. present: The loss described is "valuable electronic equipment" taken with no signs of forced entry.

Coded by Claude Opus 5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

MIT Police publishes Clery timely warnings and crime alerts at police.mit.edu/crime-alert with full incident narrative, safety guidance, and issuer attribution. This entry is from residual archive recovery for Burglary at E14.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official MIT Police crime-alert page preserves complete timely-warning narrative text.
Outcome
MIT Police investigation status as stated in the official crime alert.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    Burglary at E14 | MIT Police
    police.mit.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Burglary prompts campus community safety notice burglary." Incident of January 22, 2019. Added July 2026; last updated August 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/mit-burglary-e14-2019-01-22/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
mitmassachusetts-institute-of-technologytimely-warningburglarycrime-alertUnder Investigation
Added July 2026Updated August 2026Via ingestion