{
  "id": "2026-10-19-columbia-university-greene-hall-philosophy-hall-e-scooter-thefts-clery-crime-alert",
  "slug": "columbia-university-greene-hall-philosophy-hall-e-scooter-thefts-clery-crime-alert-2026-10-19",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Columbia University",
    "shortName": "Columbia",
    "state": "NY",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "Columbia Public Safety Clery Alert",
    "enrollment": 33000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2026-10-19",
    "type": "theft",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "resolution": "under-investigation",
    "headline": "Crime alert for two electric scooter thefts ten minutes apart on the main campus",
    "headlinePublic": "Crime alert for two electric scooter thefts ten minutes apart on the main campus",
    "summary": "Columbia University Public Safety issued a [Clery Crime Alert](https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/W25_Clery_Motor_Vehicle_E_Scooter_Theft_Jerome_L_Greene_Hall_Philosophy_Hall_2026-10-19.pdf) for an electric scooter theft outside Jerome L. Greene Hall at about 4:28 PM on Monday, October 19, 2026, and a similar theft outside Philosophy Hall ten minutes later, both involving two people on electric scooters.",
    "outcome": "The alert said no further information was available and that suspect photos were attached. No arrest was reported in the sources seen."
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "After 4:38 PM EDT on Monday, October 19, 2026 (send time not stated; the PDF says Public Safety was \"recently informed\")",
      "channel": "website",
      "verbatimText": "Clery Crime Alert\nMotor Vehicle/E-Scooter Theft\nColumbia University Public Safety was recently informed of an electric scooter theft in front of Jerome L. Greene Hall, located at 435 West 116th Street. The incident occurred on Monday, October 19, 2026, at approximately 4:28 PM.\nA similar incident occurred on Monday, October 19, 2026, at approximately 4:38 PM, in front of Philosophy Hall, located at 1150 Amsterdam Avenue. Both incidents involved two unidentified individuals traveling on electric scooters.\nThe suspects are shown in the photos below.\nNo further information is available at this time.\nIf you have any additional information about this incident, please contact Investigator Daley at 212-854-6634 and reference report number 26-003760 or 26-003789.\nHarm Reduction Strategies:\nNo one is ever responsible for a crime committed against them. The responsibility lies entirely with the perpetrator. If something happens, we encourage you to report it. Reporting helps protect others and ensures you can access support and services. Report the incident to the Department of Public Safety at\nMorningside: 212-854-5555\nManhattanville: 212-853-3333\nMedical Center: 212-305-7979\nConsider registering your bicycles and other valuable property with Public Safety’s Operation ID program.\nWhen possible, avoid parking your bicycle or scooter at a non-designated location. Commuter Bicycle Parking enclosures can be found here. The Bicycle Parking map can be found here. Consider using a heavy-duty lock and/or chain to secure your bicycle or scooter. Tips on locking your bike can be found here.\nDisclaimer: Clery Crime Alerts (Timely Warning Notifications) are distributed pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. Columbia University is required to alert the campus community when certain crimes occur in our Clery Act defined campuses that represent a serious or continuous threat to the community. For additional information, please visit our Clery Act website or email ps-compliance@columbia.edu",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/W25_Clery_Motor_Vehicle_E_Scooter_Theft_Jerome_L_Greene_Hall_Philosophy_Hall_2026-10-19.pdf",
      "sourceDescription": "Columbia Public Safety Clery Crime Alert PDF (W25), linked from the Clery Crime Alerts page",
      "annotations": [
        "Read on 2026-11-09 from the official PDF.",
        "The alert was likely also emailed; only the posted PDF was read.",
        "The title glyph \"ft\" in \"Theft\" was dropped by the text layer and restored. The suspect photos referred to in the text are images and are not recorded.",
        "Bullet glyphs were not extracted; list items are kept as separate lines."
      ],
      "characterCount": 2009
    }
  ],
  "context": "Columbia files e-scooter thefts under the Clery \"motor vehicle theft\" heading, which is why this property crime produced a timely warning. It followed the [80 Claremont aggravated assault alert](https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/W24_Clery_Aggravated_Assault_80Claremont__2026-10-17.pdf) two days earlier.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Two thefts ten minutes apart were combined into one alert as a pattern.",
    "Prevention tips were specific to scooters and bicycles (registration, designated parking, locks)."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Clery Crime Alerts (Columbia University Public Safety)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/content/clery-crime-alerts",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "Clery Crime Alert: Motor Vehicle/E-Scooter Theft, Greene Hall and Philosophy Hall (PDF)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/W25_Clery_Motor_Vehicle_E_Scooter_Theft_Jerome_L_Greene_Hall_Philosophy_Hall_2026-10-19.pdf",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "2026",
    "backfill-2026-10-12",
    "theft",
    "motor-vehicle-theft",
    "private-r1",
    "new-york",
    "ivy",
    "clery-crime-alert",
    "timely-warning"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-11-09",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-11-09",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}