Vandalism continues in Commons

An unusual level of thefts and vandalism continues to plague the South Campus Commons this summer, prompting more Commons employees and University Police officers to patrol the apartment buildings.

So far this month, there have been seven reported thefts and acts of vandalism in the Commons, including damaged exit signs, a hole punched in a wall and electronics stolen from a locked apartment, police said.

No one has yet been charged for any of this summer's Commons crimes, Commons Director Gina Brasty said, adding that it was unusual to have so many incidents in the summer.

Police spokesman Paul Dillon said he suspects illegal sublettors who "are not there officially on the lease and are not responsible for anything" may be to blame for some of the crimes. Alcohol is another factor likely fueling the incidents, Dillon added.

"We're going to continue trying to have heavy presence and talking to the residents to try and develop leads to identify the perpetrators," Dillon said.

Brasty said identifying the perpetrators as sublettors, residents or anyone else would be "speculation" but noted that Commons is "increasing staff presence" and taking other measures to catch the individuals behind the crimes. She would not say what the other measures are, explaining, "If we tell people, [they] may not be successful."

The damages have cost the Commons "thousands and thousands of dollars," Brasty said. Brasty estimated the total cost of this summer's damage is between $5,000 and $10,000.

Students have also suffered losses. Early July 13, someone entered a locked and occupied Commons Building 1 apartment and stole an Xbox and cell phone, Dillon said.

A resident told police of hearing a front door slam and assumed it was a roommate returning home, Dillon said. He added that a window was slightly opened, and police are processing evidence, he added.

Other incidents reported to police are seemingly minor, such as marker scribbling on a board in one of the Commons Building 5 halls; Dillon said he would not comment on why it might have been reported to police.

"There were squiggly lines or random words; nothing threatening," Dillon said. "It was graffiti that was removed."

Even so, many Commons residents — such as Maura Donovan, a senior environmental science and policy major who lives in Commons Building 4 — are frustrated with the vandalism.

"What I see a lot is a lot of destruction for destruction's sake," said Donovan, who also said she found shaving cream on her bike seat earlier this month. "It's offensive."

Emilie Wolfson, a recent environmental science and policy graduate also living in Commons Building 4, also said she was disturbed with what she has seen in her building.

"They had torn up a bulletin board and torn up her papers and taken some of the dry wall off," Wolfson said. "It's kind of scary."

Commons officials said criminals should be aware of the consequences of their actions and asked residents to report any suspicious activity.

"We need the residents of the buildings to say we care about our community and when they're seeing stuff to report it," Brasty said. "It's their home and their dollars."

The Commons patrols did result in a recent arrest, when police charged Michael Scott Corbin, 20, with disorderly conduct after he allegedly struggled with a police officer searching him for drugs at his Commons Building 7 apartment, Dillon said.

At about 11 p.m. on July 13, a police officer patrolling Commons Building 7 smelled marijuana and knocked on the door of the room where the odor seemed to coming from, Dillon said.

Dillon said Corbin opened the door with bloodshot, dilated eyes and consented to a drug search but then allegedly spun around with clenched fists as the officer searched him, accusing the officer of trying to steal his watch. Dillon said he then flopped down on the floor and "threw out his cell phone and money" while yelling and screaming and was arrested for disorderly conduct.

In another Commons incident, a student visiting Commons Building 1 just after midnight on July 17 reported seeing large amounts of blood in the lobby, in an elevator and in a fourth floor hallway, saying the scene was "like a horror movie."

"There was blood on the walls, all over the elevator and on the buttons," said Jess Gross, a junior kinesiology major. "I took the stairs and was looking around; I thought there was someone with a knife."

Brasty would not comment on the incident except to say she doesn't "know of any criminal activity" in connection to it. Dillon said it had not been reported to police.

In other crime news, "two doors were pried and the locking mechanism was accessed to unlock the door" in the Skinner Building on July 13, Dillon said, and cameras and camera equipment were stolen from the second room.

Meanwhile, Prince George's County police are investigating two armed robberies of local businesses. A man with a handgun held up Pizza Hut in the Campus Village shopping center on Route 1, about 11 p.m. Friday, and Video Plus on Rhode Island Avenue in northern College Park at about 9 p.m. Monday, a police spokesman said.

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