2008 Woodie Awards
Mellers gets pranked by fork thieves
Series of break ins and thefts on campus may be connected
Alyson Browning
Issue date: 3/9/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Over the past four weeks, a series of break ins and thefts have occurred across the Southwest Baptist University campus.
Six or seven burglaries have occurred in half a dozen buildings throughout the campus including Jester Learning and Performance Center, Goodson Student Union, Wheeler Science Center and Casebolt Music Center. There is no apparent vandalism, although it is obvious that someone has rummaged through faculty offices and taken petty cash.
A report was filed with SBU Safety and Security as well as the Bolivar Police Department. The BPD has been conducting an ongoing investigation for the past two weeks.
Director of Safety and Security Mark Grabowski believes that all of these burglaries are connected due to the nature of the crimes.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 6, Mellers Dining Commons suffered a similar break in. The staff noticed as they came to breakfast that all of the silverware in the serving line was missing. Only a few knives and some silverware left in the back remained.
Fliers were found on cars, including the catering van belonging to Fresh Ideas, advertising Mellers silverware for sale with SBU President Dr. C. Pat Taylor's phone number attached. This led Food Services Director Dennis Owens to believe that the incident was a harmless prank and that the silverware would be returned.
The silverware has not been returned, and Owens will probably be filing a police report, turning this prank into a crime.
"If the silverware had come back I wouldn't have done anything," said Owens. "But now I have to do something about it."
Before lunch on Tuesday, Owens drove to Springfield and bought 400 dollars of silverware to replace the stolen utensils so SBU students would have silverware to eat with.
"We spent $400 of students' money to buy new silverware," said Owens. "We owe it to the students to find out who did this and seek restitution."
While this incident has occurred amidst other thefts on campus, Grabowski and other authorities do not believe it is connected to the other thefts on campus.
Grabowski is eager to catch those behind both incidents.
"I really want to catch these guys," said Grabowksi. "Any information anyone has would be helpful."
If you have any information regarding either of the Mellers silverware incident or other thefts and break-ins on the SBU campus, call SBU Safety and Security at 328-1556.
Six or seven burglaries have occurred in half a dozen buildings throughout the campus including Jester Learning and Performance Center, Goodson Student Union, Wheeler Science Center and Casebolt Music Center. There is no apparent vandalism, although it is obvious that someone has rummaged through faculty offices and taken petty cash.
A report was filed with SBU Safety and Security as well as the Bolivar Police Department. The BPD has been conducting an ongoing investigation for the past two weeks.
Director of Safety and Security Mark Grabowski believes that all of these burglaries are connected due to the nature of the crimes.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 6, Mellers Dining Commons suffered a similar break in. The staff noticed as they came to breakfast that all of the silverware in the serving line was missing. Only a few knives and some silverware left in the back remained.
Fliers were found on cars, including the catering van belonging to Fresh Ideas, advertising Mellers silverware for sale with SBU President Dr. C. Pat Taylor's phone number attached. This led Food Services Director Dennis Owens to believe that the incident was a harmless prank and that the silverware would be returned.
The silverware has not been returned, and Owens will probably be filing a police report, turning this prank into a crime.
"If the silverware had come back I wouldn't have done anything," said Owens. "But now I have to do something about it."
Before lunch on Tuesday, Owens drove to Springfield and bought 400 dollars of silverware to replace the stolen utensils so SBU students would have silverware to eat with.
"We spent $400 of students' money to buy new silverware," said Owens. "We owe it to the students to find out who did this and seek restitution."
While this incident has occurred amidst other thefts on campus, Grabowski and other authorities do not believe it is connected to the other thefts on campus.
Grabowski is eager to catch those behind both incidents.
"I really want to catch these guys," said Grabowksi. "Any information anyone has would be helpful."
If you have any information regarding either of the Mellers silverware incident or other thefts and break-ins on the SBU campus, call SBU Safety and Security at 328-1556.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
John Perry
posted 3/09/07 @ 6:41 AM CST
It is time for SBU to enter the 21st century with security cameras. They are inexpensive, and I am sorry to say necessary for the protection of not only the SBU property but the students themselves. (Continued…)
Terri
posted 3/12/07 @ 1:45 PM CST
OK
HOW OLD ARE WE??? It WAS funny! and if the silverware had been returned, Mr. Owens would have laughed with you and done nothing. After all, HE was a student once , too. (Continued…)
Cody
posted 3/13/07 @ 7:03 PM CST
I thought the prank was funny, but causing Mellers to buy more silverware is INFURIATING... They obviously pinch pennies on our food as it is... why tighten the budget further? Can yall seriously stand to eat more instant food?
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