{ "id": "2018-05-22-mit-suspicious-person-and-burglary", "slug": "mit-suspicious-person-and-burglary-2018-05-22", "institution": { "name": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology", "shortName": "MIT", "state": "MA", "type": "private-r1", "alertSystemName": "MIT Police Timely Warnings", "enrollment": 12000 }, "incident": { "date": "2018-05-22", "type": "suspicious-activity", "cleryCategory": "timely-warning", "resolution": "under-investigation", "headline": "Suspicious Person and Burglary", "headlinePublic": "Suspicious Person and Burglary", "summary": "MIT Police [issued a crime alert / timely warning](https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/suspicious-person-and-burglary) on or about 2018-05-22. 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 2018-05-22", "channel": "email", "verbatimText": "Two Separate Incidents: Suspicious Person and Burglary\n\nIncident #1 Suspicious Person\n\n\tOn Monday, May 21, 2018 at approximately 9:20 PM, MIT Police responded to a call concerning an unknown male piggy backing behind a resident into the Pi Beta Phi sorority, Building W51C, which located at 405 Memorial Drive, Cambridge.\n\n\tThe reporting party stated she witnessed a male riding a bicycle very slowly on Amherst Alley. The male then dropped his bike and followed a female resident into the sorority. The reporting party asked the male what he was doing in the building, to which he answered that he was looking for June. When the reporting party replied that no one with that name resided there, the male immediately exited the building quickly, got onto his bicycle and rode away.\n\n\tBased on an ongoing investigation and a review of area video surveillance, the male is also a person of interest the MIT Police are looking to question in connection with recent burglaries in Green Hall and thefts from unlocked day-lockers in the Z-Center. The person of interest is aware of a number of cameras on campus and will often obscure his face when he is near one. In the past, he has used his hands, a hooded winter coat, and a towel to cover his face when near a camera.\n\n\tPhysical Description\n\n\tThe reporting party described the individual as: male, approximately 6' tall, black, with close cropped hair, some facial hair, in his early 20's, wearing a black t-shirt, black pants, and riding a black bicycle.\n\nIncident #2 Burglary\n\n\tPhi Kappa Theta, which is located at 229 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, was burglarized on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at approximately 3:00 AM.\n\n\tA resident of Phi Kappa Theta reported that he was lying in his bed when he observed an unknown male suspect open his door and shine a flashlight towards him. A check of the house was conducted, but the suspect had already fled.\n\n\tSuspect may have gained entry via a basement door, which was found broken. At this time, there is nothing reported missing from the house.\n\n\tPhysical Description\n\n\tThe reporting party described the suspect as: male, approximately 5'5\" in height, black, short hair, and between 30 and 40 years old.\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\t- 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\t- Report all tailgaters, report suspicious people/activity.\n\n\t- Always lock your doors and windows.\n\n\t- Assure that door and window locks are in good working order.\n\n\t- Don't prop doors open.\n\n\t- Document serial numbers of your electronics and take pictures of your valuables. Keep this in a safe place to provide to the police in the event you are burglarized.\n\n\t- Register your laptop computer. Laptop tagging is now free for the MIT community, and is offered at the IS&T Service Desk in the Atlas Center at E17-106.\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 these incidents 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\nSgt. Andrew Turco\n\n\tMIT Police Department", "isVerbatimConfirmed": true, "sourceUrl": "https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/suspicious-person-and-burglary", "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": 3583, "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 Suspicious Person and Burglary.", "keyFindings": [ "Official MIT Police crime-alert page preserves complete timely-warning narrative text." ], "sources": [ { "type": "official-archive", "title": "Suspicious Person and Burglary | MIT Police", "url": "https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/suspicious-person-and-burglary", "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" }