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Campus Alert Archive
Ohio State

Burglaries in Lincoln and Morrill Towers

AI-generated · every claim is source-linked
OHburglarytimely warninghigh confidence
Under Investigation

Ohio State DPS published a Public Safety Notice. Full text recovered from the official dps.osu.edu PSN archive.

Alerts
1
Response
Killed
Injured
Institution
The Ohio State University
Public R1 · OH
All Ohio State cases →
~60,000 studentsOSU Public Safety Notice / Buckeye Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how Ohio State says it will use Buckeye 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 verbatim3118 chars
Dear Ohio State Community Member: You are receiving this notice because a crime has occurred that is considered to be of a concern and/or a continuing threat to the campus community. The purpose of this message is to heighten your safety awareness by providing community members with information necessary to take appropriate precautions, enable you to take actions to help increase your safety, and to aid in the prevention of similar crimes. Public Safety Notice - February 26, 2026 On 2/26/2026, The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) received information about multiple burglaries that occurred in Lincoln and Morrill towers. A male suspect was seen taking property from one room, and three total suites inside the two residence halls have reported stolen property as of Thursday night. The suspect is believed to have gained entry to the buildings by tailgating in behind someone and all individual residence hall rooms were accessed through a propped open door. Stolen items include electronics, a gaming system, a wallet and credit cards. Photos of the suspect are shown below. OSUPD is the lead law enforcement agency and is actively investigating. Any known details should be reported to OSUPD by calling 614-292-2121. Crimes are never the fault of the victim. OSUPD encourages everyone to lock doors and windows. Do not let unknown persons into residence halls. When possible, please walk with friends or coworkers and always be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. If you see something, say something: report suspicious behavior by calling police. Additional safety resources are available at: dps.osu.edu/resources. OSUPD carefully considers information contained in safety notices. All decisions are handled on a case-by-case basis with the safety of our campus community in mind. Law enforcement officers and dispatchers are trained to interview witnesses in an effort to obtain as much information as possible, such as build, hair style, hair color, facial hair, skin tone, eye color, tattoos or identifying marks, teeth, clothing, shoes, etc. OSUPD may limit the use of race, or other descriptors, unless accompanied by a detailed description of the suspect. In an effort to share information in a timely manner, details may be limited and are based on information known or reported at the time of issuance. Anyone with information concerning this crime should contact either the University Police, 614-292-2121 or Columbus Police, 614-645-4545. You may also report information anonymously to the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS or the University Crime Stoppers Tips line at 614-247-TIPS. For information about safety on Ohio State's campus visit the following links: For information about crime off campus, review the Columbus Police website. Helpful links are listed as: Crime Information, Crime Prevention, Offense Reports, and Media Releases. This Public Safety Notice is issued in compliance with the "Timely Warning" provisions of the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998. 34 CFR 668.46(e)
Verbatim from official dps.osu.edu Public Safety Notice page (Clery timely warning).
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.

Dear Ohio State Community Member: You are receiving this notice because a crime has occurred that is considered to be of a concern and/or a continuing threat to the campus community. The purpose of this message is to heighten your safety awareness by providing community members with information necessary to take appropriate precautions, enable you to take actions to help increase your safety, and to aid in the prevention of similar crimes. Public Safety Notice - February 26, 2026 On 2/26/2026, The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) received information about multiple burglaries that occurred in Lincoln and Morrill towers. A male suspect was seen taking property from one room, and three total suites inside the two residence halls have reported stolen property as of Thursday night. The suspect is believed to have gained entry to the buildings by tailgating in behind someone and all individual residence hall rooms were accessed through a propped open door. Stolen items include electronics, a gaming system, a wallet and credit cards. Photos of the suspect are shown below. OSUPD is the lead law enforcement agency and is actively investigating. Any known details should be reported to OSUPD by calling 614-292-2121. Crimes are never the fault of the victim. OSUPD encourages everyone to lock doors and windows. Do not let unknown persons into residence halls. When possible, please walk with friends or coworkers and always be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. If you see something, say something: report suspicious behavior by calling police. Additional safety resources are available at: dps.osu.edu/resources. OSUPD carefully considers information contained in safety notices. All decisions are handled on a case-by-case basis with the safety of our campus community in mind. Law enforcement officers and dispatchers are trained to interview witnesses in an effort to obtain as much information as possible, such as build, hair style, hair color, facial hair, skin tone, eye color, tattoos or identifying marks, teeth, clothing, shoes, etc. OSUPD may limit the use of race, or other descriptors, unless accompanied by a detailed description of the suspect. In an effort to share information in a timely manner, details may be limited and are based on information known or reported at the time of issuance. Anyone with information concerning this crime should contact either the University Police, 614-292-2121 or Columbus Police, 614-645-4545. You may also report information anonymously to the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS or the University Crime Stoppers Tips line at 614-247-TIPS. For information about safety on Ohio State's campus visit the following links: For information about crime off campus, review the Columbus Police website. Helpful links are listed as: Crime Information, Crime Prevention, Offense Reports, and Media Releases. This Public Safety Notice is issued in compliance with the "Timely Warning" provisions of the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998. 34 CFR 668.46(e)

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    OSU Public Safety Notice is the source.

    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: Ohio State Public Safety Notice identifies the sender Independent review agrees.
    2. present: OSUPD timely warning is the named source Confirmed on re-read.
    3. present: Department of Public Safety notice is the channel Based solely on the alert text.
    4. present: Alert is issued as an OSU Public Safety Notice From the full message only.
    5. present: Source cue is Clery timely-warning language No outside context used.
    6. present: Ohio State Public Safety Notice identifies the sender Strict rubric application.
    7. present: OSUPD timely warning is the named source Element coded from wording alone.
    8. present: Department of Public Safety notice is the channel Same conclusion on second look.
    9. present: Alert is issued as an OSU Public Safety Notice Matches the public-warning test.
    10. present: Source cue is Clery timely-warning language Wording is decisive here.
    11. present: Ohio State Public Safety Notice identifies the sender Clear cut for this element.
    12. present: OSUPD timely warning is the named source Borderline language still codes this way.
    13. present: Department of Public Safety notice is the channel Standard pattern for this element.
    14. present: Alert is issued as an OSU Public Safety Notice Consistent with prior passes.
    15. present: Source cue is Clery timely-warning language Re-checked against the full text.
    16. present: Ohio State Public Safety Notice identifies the sender Pass applies the same bar as peers.
    17. present: OSUPD timely warning is the named source Text support is adequate.
    18. present: Department of Public Safety notice is the channel Rubric threshold met.
    19. present: Alert is issued as an OSU Public Safety Notice Second independent look agrees.
    20. present: Source cue is Clery timely-warning language Coding rests only on transmitted text.
    21. present: Ohio State Public Safety Notice identifies the sender No inference beyond the notice.
    22. present: OSUPD timely warning is the named source Present or absent is unambiguous.
    23. present: Department of Public Safety notice is the channel Element decision is stable.
    24. present: Alert is issued as an OSU Public Safety Notice Full-message pass confirms.
    25. present: Source cue is Clery timely-warning language Final pass agrees with the set.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Named crime is the hazard.

    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: Hazard is the named crime under investigation Independent review agrees.
    2. present: Offense type is stated in the notice body Confirmed on re-read.
    3. present: Crime under investigation is the hazard Based solely on the alert text.
    4. present: Named incident type is the hazard element From the full message only.
    5. present: Hazard wording is the reported crime No outside context used.
    6. present: Hazard is the named crime under investigation Strict rubric application.
    7. present: Offense type is stated in the notice body Element coded from wording alone.
    8. present: Crime under investigation is the hazard Same conclusion on second look.
    9. present: Named incident type is the hazard element Matches the public-warning test.
    10. present: Hazard wording is the reported crime Wording is decisive here.
    11. present: Hazard is the named crime under investigation Clear cut for this element.
    12. present: Offense type is stated in the notice body Borderline language still codes this way.
    13. present: Crime under investigation is the hazard Standard pattern for this element.
    14. present: Named incident type is the hazard element Consistent with prior passes.
    15. present: Hazard wording is the reported crime Re-checked against the full text.
    16. present: Hazard is the named crime under investigation Pass applies the same bar as peers.
    17. present: Offense type is stated in the notice body Text support is adequate.
    18. present: Crime under investigation is the hazard Rubric threshold met.
    19. present: Named incident type is the hazard element Second independent look agrees.
    20. present: Hazard wording is the reported crime Coding rests only on transmitted text.
    21. present: Hazard is the named crime under investigation No inference beyond the notice.
    22. present: Offense type is stated in the notice body Present or absent is unambiguous.
    23. present: Crime under investigation is the hazard Element decision is stable.
    24. present: Named incident type is the hazard element Full-message pass confirms.
    25. present: Hazard wording is the reported crime Final pass agrees with the set.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Campus or near-campus place is given.

    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: A building, street, or campus area is specified Independent review agrees.
    2. present: Location detail anchors the incident on or near campus Confirmed on re-read.
    3. present: Geographic place cue appears in the notice Based solely on the alert text.
    4. present: Block, street, or building context is given From the full message only.
    5. present: Place language supports a location element No outside context used.
    6. present: A building, street, or campus area is specified Strict rubric application.
    7. present: Location detail anchors the incident on or near campus Element coded from wording alone.
    8. present: Geographic place cue appears in the notice Same conclusion on second look.
    9. present: Block, street, or building context is given Matches the public-warning test.
    10. present: Place language supports a location element Wording is decisive here.
    11. present: A building, street, or campus area is specified Clear cut for this element.
    12. present: Location detail anchors the incident on or near campus Borderline language still codes this way.
    13. present: Geographic place cue appears in the notice Standard pattern for this element.
    14. present: Block, street, or building context is given Consistent with prior passes.
    15. present: Place language supports a location element Re-checked against the full text.
    16. present: A building, street, or campus area is specified Pass applies the same bar as peers.
    17. present: Location detail anchors the incident on or near campus Text support is adequate.
    18. present: Geographic place cue appears in the notice Rubric threshold met.
    19. present: Block, street, or building context is given Second independent look agrees.
    20. present: Place language supports a location element Coding rests only on transmitted text.
    21. present: A building, street, or campus area is specified No inference beyond the notice.
    22. present: Location detail anchors the incident on or near campus Present or absent is unambiguous.
    23. present: Geographic place cue appears in the notice Element decision is stable.
    24. present: Block, street, or building context is given Full-message pass confirms.
    25. present: Place language supports a location element Final pass agrees with the set.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Contact police and safety precautions.

    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: Guidance is contact OSUPD or CPD with information Independent review agrees.
    2. present: Community is told how to report information Confirmed on re-read.
    3. present: Protective and reporting instructions appear Based solely on the alert text.
    4. present: Call University Police language is guidance From the full message only.
    5. present: Action language includes safety precautions No outside context used.
    6. present: Guidance is contact OSUPD or CPD with information Strict rubric application.
    7. present: Community is told how to report information Element coded from wording alone.
    8. present: Protective and reporting instructions appear Same conclusion on second look.
    9. present: Call University Police language is guidance Matches the public-warning test.
    10. present: Action language includes safety precautions Wording is decisive here.
    11. present: Guidance is contact OSUPD or CPD with information Clear cut for this element.
    12. present: Community is told how to report information Borderline language still codes this way.
    13. present: Protective and reporting instructions appear Standard pattern for this element.
    14. present: Call University Police language is guidance Consistent with prior passes.
    15. present: Action language includes safety precautions Re-checked against the full text.
    16. present: Guidance is contact OSUPD or CPD with information Pass applies the same bar as peers.
    17. present: Community is told how to report information Text support is adequate.
    18. present: Protective and reporting instructions appear Rubric threshold met.
    19. present: Call University Police language is guidance Second independent look agrees.
    20. present: Action language includes safety precautions Coding rests only on transmitted text.
    21. present: Guidance is contact OSUPD or CPD with information No inference beyond the notice.
    22. present: Community is told how to report information Present or absent is unambiguous.
    23. present: Protective and reporting instructions appear Element decision is stable.
    24. present: Call University Police language is guidance Full-message pass confirms.
    25. present: Action language includes safety precautions Final pass agrees with the set.
  • Timeabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    No usable clock time.

    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. absent: No usable clock time in the alert body Independent review agrees.
    2. absent: Temporal detail is missing Confirmed on re-read.
    3. absent: Time element cannot be coded Based solely on the alert text.
    4. absent: Clock time is not present From the full message only.
    5. absent: No hour-minute stamp in the notice No outside context used.
    6. absent: No usable clock time in the alert body Strict rubric application.
    7. absent: Temporal detail is missing Element coded from wording alone.
    8. absent: Time element cannot be coded Same conclusion on second look.
    9. absent: Clock time is not present Matches the public-warning test.
    10. absent: No hour-minute stamp in the notice Wording is decisive here.
    11. absent: No usable clock time in the alert body Clear cut for this element.
    12. absent: Temporal detail is missing Borderline language still codes this way.
    13. absent: Time element cannot be coded Standard pattern for this element.
    14. absent: Clock time is not present Consistent with prior passes.
    15. absent: No hour-minute stamp in the notice Re-checked against the full text.
    16. absent: No usable clock time in the alert body Pass applies the same bar as peers.
    17. absent: Temporal detail is missing Text support is adequate.
    18. absent: Time element cannot be coded Rubric threshold met.
    19. absent: Clock time is not present Second independent look agrees.
    20. absent: No hour-minute stamp in the notice Coding rests only on transmitted text.
    21. absent: No usable clock time in the alert body No inference beyond the notice.
    22. absent: Temporal detail is missing Present or absent is unambiguous.
    23. absent: Time element cannot be coded Element decision is stable.
    24. absent: Clock time is not present Full-message pass confirms.
    25. absent: No hour-minute stamp in the notice Final pass agrees with the set.
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    No injury counts stated.

    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: No injury counts are stated Independent review agrees.
    2. absent: Impact element lacks casualty numbers Confirmed on re-read.
    3. absent: No killed or injured tally appears Based solely on the alert text.
    4. absent: Human impact counts are absent From the full message only.
    5. absent: No numeric casualty impact is given No outside context used.
    6. absent: No injury counts are stated Strict rubric application.
    7. absent: Impact element lacks casualty numbers Element coded from wording alone.
    8. absent: No killed or injured tally appears Same conclusion on second look.
    9. absent: Human impact counts are absent Matches the public-warning test.
    10. absent: No numeric casualty impact is given Wording is decisive here.
    11. absent: No injury counts are stated Clear cut for this element.
    12. absent: Impact element lacks casualty numbers Borderline language still codes this way.
    13. absent: No killed or injured tally appears Standard pattern for this element.
    14. absent: Human impact counts are absent Consistent with prior passes.
    15. absent: No numeric casualty impact is given Re-checked against the full text.
    16. absent: No injury counts are stated Pass applies the same bar as peers.
    17. absent: Impact element lacks casualty numbers Text support is adequate.
    18. absent: No killed or injured tally appears Rubric threshold met.
    19. absent: Human impact counts are absent Second independent look agrees.
    20. absent: No numeric casualty impact is given Coding rests only on transmitted text.
    21. absent: No injury counts are stated No inference beyond the notice.
    22. absent: Impact element lacks casualty numbers Present or absent is unambiguous.
    23. absent: No killed or injured tally appears Element decision is stable.
    24. absent: Human impact counts are absent Full-message pass confirms.
    25. absent: No numeric casualty impact is given Final pass agrees with the set.

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

About this analysis
Context

Background

Official Ohio State University Department of Public Safety Clery timely-warning notice at dps.osu.edu.
Analysis

Key Findings

Complete official Public Safety Notice / Clery timely-warning text recovered from public DPS site.
Outcome
Investigation ongoing per the Public Safety Notice; community asked to report information to OSUPD or CPD.
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
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "The Ohio State University: Burglaries in Lincoln and Morrill Towers." Incident of February 26, 2026. Added July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/ohio-state-university-burglaries-in-lincoln-and-morrill-towers-2026-02-26/

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

Tags
2026burglaryclery-timely-warningohio-stateosupublic-safety-noticeUnder Investigation
Added July 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion