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Timely warning for January 26 2024 burglary at Phi Sigma Kappa

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MIT Police issued a timely warning for a burglary at Phi Sigma Kappa, published in the MIT timely-warnings archive.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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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 verbatim2725 chars
On January 26, 2024, at approximately 12:13 PM, the MIT Police responded to 487 Commonwealth Ave.  (Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity). According to the reporting party, at approximately 5:00 AM, someone forcibly entered the residence through the front door and removed a Cannondale bicycle, color white. There were signs of forced entry to the front door frame. There is no suspect information available at this time.  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:         •       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 residential doors and windows. Assure that the locks are in good working order.         •       Close and lock first floor windows at night or when not at home. If windows have a box air conditioner, consider using a brace to prevent intruders from using those windows a way to gain entry.         •       Lock your residential door if you are leaving (even if only for a minute or two).         •       When entering or exiting a residence or, make sure the door closes tightly behind you.         •       Report suspicious activity or individuals behaving in a suspicious, erratic, dangerous manner.         •       Report all tailgaters. The MIT Police Department reminds the MIT community that our campus is located in an urban setting and shares many of the crime and safety issues that exist in any city. The MIT Police are actively 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). MIT Police Community Policing Unit MIT Police Department 565-570 Memorial Drive Cambridge, Ma. 02139 617-253-1212 565-570 Memorial Drive Building W91 Cambridge, MA 02139 Directions 24/7 Emergency(617) 253-1212 Non-Emergency (617) 253-2996 Anonymous Tips (617) 258-8477 TDD/TTY please use TRS (711) Details Office (617) 253-9754
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Full official MITPD timely-warning body from police.mit.edu.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (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 26, 2024, at approximately 12:13 PM, the MIT Police responded to 487 Commonwealth Ave.  (Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity). According to the reporting party, at approximately 5:00 AM, someone forcibly entered the residence through the front door and removed a Cannondale bicycle, color white. There were signs of forced entry to the front door frame. There is no suspect information available at this time.  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:         •       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 residential doors and windows. Assure that the locks are in good working order.         •       Close and lock first floor windows at night or when not at home. If windows have a box air conditioner, consider using a brace to prevent intruders from using those windows a way to gain entry.         •       Lock your residential door if you are leaving (even if only for a minute or two).         •       When entering or exiting a residence or, make sure the door closes tightly behind you.         •       Report suspicious activity or individuals behaving in a suspicious, erratic, dangerous manner.         •       Report all tailgaters. The MIT Police Department reminds the MIT community that our campus is located in an urban setting and shares many of the crime and safety issues that exist in any city. The MIT Police are actively 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). MIT Police Community Policing Unit MIT Police Department 565-570 Memorial Drive Cambridge, Ma. 02139 617-253-1212 565-570 Memorial Drive Building W91 Cambridge, MA 02139 Directions 24/7 Emergency(617) 253-1212 Non-Emergency (617) 253-2996 Anonymous Tips (617) 258-8477 TDD/TTY please use TRS (711) Details Office (617) 253-9754

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 agree (1): Opens that "the MIT Police responded to 487 Commonwealth Ave." for the residence.

    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: Opens that "the MIT Police responded to 487 Commonwealth Ave." for the residence.
    2. present: Because the MIT Police are named as the agency that responded to the residence.
    3. present: Checklist pass: MIT Police is named as the responding agency and tip contact authority.
    4. present: MIT Police answered the call and are working the investigation.
    5. present: The MIT Police are identified as the responding unit and the author of the safety notice.
    6. present: MIT Police is identified as the department that responded to Phi Sigma Kappa and is seeking tips.
    7. present: src: MIT Police responded to the fraternity report.
    8. present: MIT Police is named as the agency that responded to the Phi Sigma Kappa burglary report.
    9. present: "MIT Police" responded to the fraternity report and publish the safety tips.
    10. present: Second glance still identifies MIT Police as the responding and tip-issuing agency.
    11. present: MIT Police is named as the responding and investigating source for this timely warning.
    12. present: Campus safety materials name the MIT Police as the responding agency.
    13. present: The MIT Police is expressly identified as the responding authority that took the report and that issued the listed community precautions.
    14. present: MIT Police responded to the fraternity report.
    15. present: The notice attributes response and investigation context to MIT Police as the institutional source.
    16. present: MIT Police took the call and put out the write-up.
    17. present: The text identifies the MIT Police as the responding and advising authority and concludes source is present.
    18. present: Present because the MIT Police are named as the agency that responded to the fraternity.
    19. present: Source is MIT Police who responded to the fraternity and issued the prevention tips.
    20. present: MIT Police is credited for the response, sourcing that would vanish if the department were unnamed.
    21. present: Names MIT Police as the agency that responded to the fraternity.
    22. present: The response is attributed to the MIT Police at the fraternity address.
    23. present: The alert names the MIT Police as the agency that responded to the residence.
    24. present: Recipients can identify MIT Police as the responding source for the Phi Sigma Kappa forced-entry report.
    25. present: Identifies the MIT Police as the agency that responded to the residence.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 agree (1): Describes someone who "forcibly entered the residence" and "removed a Cannondale bicycle," with "signs of forced entry."

    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: Describes someone who "forcibly entered the residence" and "removed a Cannondale bicycle," with "signs of forced entry."
    2. present: Since forced entry and theft of a bicycle describe a burglary hazard.
    3. present: Checklist pass: forced front door entry burglary with removal of property is the hazard.
    4. present: Someone forced the front door and stole a bike, which is the burglary hazard.
    5. present: The hazard is forced residential entry through the front door with theft of a bicycle.
    6. present: A forced-entry burglary through the front door is the stated crime.
    7. present: hazard: burglary with forced front-door entry.
    8. present: MIT Police reports a burglary with forced entry through the front door and theft of a bicycle.
    9. present: "forcibly entered the residence through the front door" and removed a bicycle, marking a forced-entry theft hazard.
    10. present: Look again and the hazard is a forced-entry burglary that took a white Cannondale bicycle.
    11. present: Forced-entry burglary through the front door is the specific hazard under review.
    12. present: The alert reports forced entry through the front door and theft of a white Cannondale bicycle.
    13. present: The hazard consists of a forcible residential entry through the front door and removal of a bicycle, constituting burglary as reported.
    14. present: Burglary: forced front-door entry, white Cannondale bike stolen.
    15. present: The hazard is forced-entry burglary with removal of a bicycle from the residence.
    16. present: Someone forced the front door and burglarized the house.
    17. present: The text reports forced entry through the front door and theft of a white Cannondale bicycle and concludes the hazard is named.
    18. present: Present because someone forcibly entered and removed a white Cannondale bicycle.
    19. present: Hazard is forced entry through the front door with theft of a bicycle from the residence.
    20. present: Forced-entry burglary is the named hazard; without that phrase the threat type would be absent.
    21. present: Identifies a forced-entry burglary through the front door of the residence.
    22. present: Forced entry through the front door and removal of a white Cannondale bicycle are reported.
    23. present: The alert reports a forced entry through the front door with a bicycle removed from the residence.
    24. present: Recipients face a burglary with forced entry through the front door and a bicycle removed from the residence.
    25. present: States someone forcibly entered through the front door and removed a bicycle.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 agree (1): Places the event at "487 Commonwealth Ave. (Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity)."

    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: Places the event at "487 Commonwealth Ave. (Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity)."
    2. present: Because the address is 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    3. present: Checklist pass: 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, is identified as the site.
    4. present: It happened at 487 Commonwealth Ave., listed as the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    5. present: The incident is fixed at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    6. present: It locates the incident at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    7. present: loc: 487 Commonwealth Ave, Phi Sigma Kappa.
    8. present: MIT Police places the incident at 487 Commonwealth Ave., the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    9. present: "487 Commonwealth Ave. (Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity)" is the location.
    10. present: A second pass locates the crime at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    11. present: Location is fixed at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, which is operationally sufficient.
    12. present: It places the incident at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    13. present: The premises are fixed at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, with forced entry at the front door frame.
    14. present: Phi Sigma Kappa at 487 Commonwealth Ave.
    15. present: The site is specified as 487 Commonwealth Ave., the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    16. present: Same house, Phi Sigma Kappa at 487 Commonwealth Ave.
    17. present: The text locates the incident at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, and concludes location is present.
    18. present: Present because the scene is 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    19. present: Location is 487 Commonwealth Ave. identified as Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    20. present: 487 Commonwealth Ave. (Phi Sigma Kappa) places the crime that would be unlocated without that address.
    21. present: Places the crime at 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    22. present: The location is given as 487 Commonwealth Ave., Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    23. present: The alert places the incident at 487 Commonwealth Ave., the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    24. present: Recipients place the crime at 487 Commonwealth Ave., the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
    25. present: Shows 487 Commonwealth Ave. (Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity) as the address.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 agree (1): Instructs readers to "Immediately notify the MIT Police" and to "Always lock your residential doors and windows."

    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: Instructs readers to "Immediately notify the MIT Police" and to "Always lock your residential doors and windows."
    2. present: Since recipients are told to notify MIT Police and to lock doors, windows, and secure entries.
    3. present: Checklist pass: recipients are told to immediately notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone.
    4. present: People are told to lock doors and windows, watch for tailgaters, and call MIT Police if a crime is happening.
    5. present: Recipients are instructed to notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from a campus phone if a crime is occurring or imminent.
    6. present: Readers are told to notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212, lock doors and windows, and report suspicious activity.
    7. present: guidance: call MITPD 617-253-1212; lock doors/windows; report tailgaters.
    8. present: MIT Police tells recipients to immediately notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone if a crime is occurring, has occurred, or is about to occur.
    9. present: "Immediately notify the MIT Police at 617-253-1212" and always lock residential doors and windows.
    10. present: On re-read, recipients are urged to lock doors and windows and to call MIT Police if a crime is occurring.
    11. present: Recipients receive actionable tips: notify police promptly, keep doors locked, and report suspicious persons or tailgaters.
    12. present: Students are told to lock residences, report suspicious behavior, and call MIT Police when needed.
    13. present: Recipients are directed immediately to notify the MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone if a crime is occurring, has occurred, or is about to occur, among other protective tips.
    14. present: Immediately notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100; lock doors and windows.
    15. present: Recipients are told, at least in part, to notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from a campus phone if crime is suspected.
    16. present: They straight-up say call MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from a campus phone, and keep doors and windows locked.
    17. present: The text tells recipients to immediately notify MIT Police, lock doors and windows, and report suspicious activity and concludes guidance is present.
    18. present: Present because readers are told to notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212 and to lock doors, windows, and report suspicious activity.
    19. present: Guidance tells recipients to notify MIT Police immediately lock residential doors and windows and report suspicious activity or tailgaters.
    20. present: Immediately notify MIT Police and always lock residential doors are protective steps status-only text would lack.
    21. present: Urges recipients to notify MIT Police and to lock residential doors and windows.
    22. present: Immediate notice to the MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from a campus phone is urged if crime is suspected.
    23. present: The alert tells recipients to lock doors and windows, report suspicious activity, and call MIT Police about crimes.
    24. present: Recipients are told to immediately notify MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from a campus phone if a crime is occurring.
    25. present: Gives recipients protective tips to lock doors, report suspects, and notify police.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 agree (1): Gives response "January 26, 2024, at approximately 12:13 PM" and entry "at approximately 5:00 AM."

    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: Gives response "January 26, 2024, at approximately 12:13 PM" and entry "at approximately 5:00 AM."
    2. present: Because the response is about 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024 with entry around 5:00 AM.
    3. present: Checklist pass: response about 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024 with forced entry about 5:00 AM.
    4. present: Police responded on January 26, 2024 around 12:13 p.m., and the entry was about 5:00 a.m.
    5. present: Police response is about 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024, with entry placed near 5:00 AM.
    6. present: The theft is set near 5:00 a.m., with police response about 12:13 p.m. on January 26, 2024.
    7. present: time: response ~12:13 PM Jan 26 2024; entry ~5:00 AM.
    8. present: MIT Police responded on January 26, 2024 at about 12:13 PM for a forced entry said to have occurred at about 5:00 AM.
    9. present: "January 26, 2024, at approximately 12:13 PM" is the response after entry at "approximately 5:00 AM."
    10. present: Second look still finds the about 5:00 AM entry and the January 26, 2024, 12:13 PM response.
    11. present: Response time is about 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024, with entry around 5:00 AM.
    12. present: The notice states January 26, 2024 at about 12:13 PM for the response and 5:00 AM for the entry.
    13. present: The response is placed on January 26, 2024, at approximately 12:13 PM, with the entry and theft timed at approximately 5:00 AM.
    14. present: Police about 12:13 PM Jan 26, 2024; entry about 5:00 AM.
    15. present: Timing includes a January 26, 2024 response near 12:13 PM and an approximate 5:00 AM forced entry.
    16. present: They responded around 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024, for an entry around 5:00 AM.
    17. present: The text gives January 26, 2024 at about 12:13 PM for the response and about 5:00 AM for the entry and concludes time is present.
    18. present: Present because police responded on January 26, 2024 at about 12:13 PM and the entry is timed at about 5:00 AM.
    19. present: Time is January 26 2024 with response about 12:13 PM and the forced entry about 5:00 AM.
    20. present: January 26, 2024 near 12:13 PM response and about 5:00 AM entry stamp recency that would be gone without them.
    21. present: Timestamps response near 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024, after a 5:00 AM entry.
    22. present: Police response is timed at about 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024, with entry about 5:00 AM.
    23. present: The alert times the response at about 12:13 PM on January 26, 2024, with entry around 5:00 AM.
    24. present: Recipients get January 26, 2024 near 12:13 PM for response and about 5:00 AM for the forced entry.
    25. present: Notes January 26, 2024, about 12:13 PM, with entry near 5:00 AM.
  • Impactpresent21/25

    Final assessment

    Majority 21/25 codes 1: Since a white Cannondale bicycle was taken and forced entry damaged the front door frame.

    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. absent: Reports forced entry and a stolen bike but no injury, threat language, or severity beyond the crime.
    2. present: Since a white Cannondale bicycle was taken and forced entry damaged the front door frame.
    3. present: Checklist pass: a white Cannondale bicycle is specified as the stolen property impact.
    4. present: A white Cannondale bike was taken, and the front door frame showed forced entry damage.
    5. present: Impact detail covers a stolen white Cannondale bicycle and confirmed forced entry damage to the door frame.
    6. present: A white Cannondale bicycle was removed, and forced-entry damage was noted on the front door frame.
    7. present: impact: white Cannondale bicycle taken; forced entry on door frame.
    8. present: MIT Police states a white Cannondale bicycle was taken and forced entry damage was found on the front door frame.
    9. present: A "Cannondale bicycle, color white" was removed, with "signs of forced entry to the front door frame."
    10. present: Re-checking notes forced damage to the front door frame and removal of a specific bicycle as real impact.
    11. present: A white Cannondale bicycle was removed and forced entry damage to the front door frame is documented.
    12. absent: No suspect injuries, victim harm, or other severity measures appear beyond the stolen bike.
    13. present: Beyond naming burglary, the notice specifies a white Cannondale bicycle taken and documents signs of forced entry to the front door frame, while stating that no suspect information is available.
    14. present: Forced damage to front door frame; no suspect info at this time.
    15. present: Impact details a stolen white Cannondale bicycle and visible forced-entry damage to the front door frame.
    16. present: A white Cannondale bicycle was taken, and the front door frame showed forced entry damage.
    17. absent: The text notes forced entry and a stolen bike without further consequence or severity language and concludes impact is absent.
    18. absent: Absent because forced entry and the stolen bicycle describe the burglary without injuries or other severity details.
    19. present: Impact is removal of a white Cannondale bicycle and forced-entry damage to the front door frame.
    20. present: A white Cannondale bicycle removed and forced damage to the front door frame go beyond the burglary label alone.
    21. present: Details removal of a white Cannondale bicycle and forced damage to the front door frame.
    22. present: Damage to the front door frame and loss of a specific white Cannondale bicycle are stated beyond the crime label.
    23. present: The alert specifies a white Cannondale bicycle was taken and notes forced entry damage to the front door frame.
    24. present: Recipients learn a white Cannondale bicycle was taken and the front door frame showed signs of forced entry.
    25. present: Identifies a white Cannondale bicycle stolen and forced entry damage to the door frame.

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

About this analysis
Context

Background

MIT Police publishes Clery timely warnings on police.mit.edu. This notice for Phi Sigma Kappa is recovered from the official crime-alert page.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official MITPD timely-warning narrative
Outcome
MIT Police investigation; prevention tips included in the notice.
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
    MIT Police timely warning
    police.mit.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Timely warning for January 26 2024 burglary at Phi Sigma Kappa." Incident of January 26, 2024. Added July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/mit-phi-sigma-kappa-burglary-2024-01-26/

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

Tags
burglarytimely-warningmit2024Under Investigation
Added July 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion