{
  "id": "2020-10-28-mit-timely-warning-arson",
  "slug": "mit-timely-warning-arson-2020-10-28",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology",
    "shortName": "MIT",
    "state": "MA",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "MIT Police Timely Warnings",
    "enrollment": 12000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2020-10-28",
    "type": "arson",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "resolution": "under-investigation",
    "headline": "Timely Warning Arson reported on MIT campus",
    "headlinePublic": "Timely Warning Arson reported on MIT campus",
    "summary": "MIT Police [issued a crime alert / timely warning](https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/timely-warning-arson) on or about 2020-10-28. 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 2020-10-28",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "On October 28, 2020, at approximately 8:00 AM, the MIT Police along with the Cambridge Fire Department responded to the NW35 residence hall located at 235 Albany Street, Cambridge, MA. Upon interviewing the reporting party, she stated she observed a fire in which cardboard boxes were placed on top of a stove in the kitchen area of the 1st floor. At that time, the oven and all four burners appeared to be on. The MIT Police Department and the Cambridge Fire Department are continuing to investigate.\n\nThere is no description of the suspect(s) at this time.\n\nWhile 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- Immediately report any fire to the MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone.\n\n\t- In case of fire, have an escape plan with two options if possible and discuss it with all residents.\n\n\t- Do not try to extinguish large, dangerous fire alone.\n\n\t- Contact the MIT Police even if a smaller fire has been extinguished.\n\n\t- Do not stop to collect personal belongings and do not re-enter a burning building for any reason.\n\n\t- Burning paper on bulletin boards is arson, call the authorities. Always lock your office and residential doors and windows. Assure that the locks are in good working order.\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\nCaptain Andrew J. Turco\n\n\tMIT Police Department",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/timely-warning-arson",
      "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": 2022,
      "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 Timely Warning Arson.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Official MIT Police crime-alert page preserves complete timely-warning narrative text."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "type": "official-archive",
      "title": "Timely Warning Arson | MIT Police",
      "url": "https://police.mit.edu/crime-alert/timely-warning-arson",
      "accessDate": "2026-07-25"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "mit",
    "massachusetts-institute-of-technology",
    "timely-warning",
    "arson",
    "crime-alert"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-07-25",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-25",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}