{
  "id": "2019-03-20-mit-burglary-beta-theta-pi",
  "slug": "mit-burglary-beta-theta-pi-2019-03-20",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology",
    "shortName": "MIT",
    "state": "MA",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "MIT Police Timely Warnings",
    "enrollment": 12000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2019-03-20",
    "type": "suspicious-activity",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "resolution": "under-investigation",
    "headline": "Burglary at Beta Theta Pi",
    "headlinePublic": "Burglary at Beta Theta Pi",
    "summary": "MIT Police [issued a crime alert / timely warning](https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/burglary-beta-theta-pi) on or about 2019-03-20. Full text is preserved from the official MIT Police Crime Alerts archive.",
    "outcome": "MIT Police investigation status as stated in the official crime alert.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 0
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Published on MIT Police crime-alert archive around 2019-03-20",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "On March, 19, 2019 at 4:25 p.m., the MIT Police responded to the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house, located at 119 Bay State Road on a report of a suspicious person. The reporting party stated that he encountered an unknown individual in the basement of the fraternity house and that the individual did not belong in the building. When confronted, the suspect fled the area and the reporting party followed the suspect to the first floor where he fled the building through the front door.\n\nThe reporting party described the suspect as: Male, Black, 5'10\", medium build, 50 years of age, black hair with specks of gray, wearing black clothing and carrying a blue draw string bag.\n\nSuggestions\n\n\tWhile 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:\n\n-\n 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.\n\n-\n Always lock your office and residential doors and windows. Assure that the locks are in good working order.\n\n-\n Lock your office or residential door if you are leaving (even if only for a minute or two).\n\n-\n When entering or exiting an office, make sure the door closes tightly behind you.\n\n-\n Report suspicious people or activity. Report all tailgaters.\n\n\tThe 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.\n\n\tThe 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).\n\nIssued by\n\nSergeant David J. O'Connor\n\n\tCrime Prevention/Community Policing Unit\n\n\tMIT Police\n\n\t301 Vassar Street\n\n\tCambridge, Ma. 02139\n\n\t617-253-1212",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/burglary-beta-theta-pi",
      "sourceDescription": "MIT Police Crime Alerts & Timely Warnings",
      "annotations": [
        "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."
      ],
      "characterCount": 1994,
      "confidence": "high"
    }
  ],
  "context": "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 Beta Theta Pi.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Official MIT Police crime-alert page preserves complete timely-warning narrative text."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "type": "official-archive",
      "title": "Burglary at Beta Theta Pi | MIT Police",
      "url": "https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/burglary-beta-theta-pi",
      "accessDate": "2026-07-25"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "mit",
    "massachusetts-institute-of-technology",
    "timely-warning",
    "suspicious-activity",
    "crime-alert"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-07-25",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-25",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}