Crime Alert - Motor Vehicle Theft/Breaking and Entering

Date Occurred: 
9/16 - 9/17/2016
Crime Alert Number: 
08-16-20403

On 9/17/2016 the UMass Police Department received two reports of crimes that took place overnight from 9/16 - 9/17 in the parking lots along Orchard Hill Drive.

One vehicle, which had been parked in Lot 49 by Chadbourne/Greenough in the evening hours of 9/16, had been accessed through a partially open window; a spare key kept inside allowed the suspect(s) to start the vehicle and drive it away.  The vehicle was discovered missing on 9/17, and was soon after located in a nearby parking lot.

The second vehicle had been parked in Lot 49 north of Baker Hall at approximately 10:00pm on 9/16.  On 9/17 the owner discovered that it had been entered through an unlocked door and that items inside, including a laptop computer, had been stolen.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is encouraged to contact Officer David Ortiz of UMPD at (413) 545-2121, the anonymous tip line at (413) 577-TIPS (8477) or by using the UMPD anonymous witness form at: https://www.umass.edu/umpd/anonymous-witness-form.

While the responsibility for criminal behavior rests solely with the perpetrator(s), UMPD encourages our community to take the following precautions to prevent similar crimes:

  • LOCK YOUR VEHICLE.  Do not leave your vehicle unlocked while parked, even if only for a few minutes.  Be sure to check your doors, windows, and trunk to make sure they are secure before you leave the area.
  • Do not leave valuables in your vehicle; if you must leave items in your vehicle, do not leave them in places where they are plainly visible.
  • Register the valuables that you bring on-campus with UMPD's Project Protect.  For more information please see https://www.umass.edu/umpd/project-protect .  

Posted: Sep 18, 2016, 3:43 pm
Last Updated: Sep 18, 2016, 4:41 pm

CONTACT

UMPD
585 East Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003-9600

umpd@admin.umass.edu
413-545-2121 non-emergency
413-545-3111 emergency or 911
413-545-3113 fax

Tips

Call 413-577-TIPS (8477) or use our Anonymous Witness Form.