The recent Briggs break-in has come as a disappointing shock to students. It would be foolish to not expect some level of sophomoric behavior and amateur offenses on a college campus, but a crime demonstrating this level of professionalism and bravado indicates a greater issue than petty theft.On Sunday, Oct. 19, what is suspected to be several individuals stole an estimated $13,000 worth of equipment from classrooms in Briggs Hall. In order to accomplish this task, they sawed through padlocks and cable locks; they must have come prepared and knowing what to expect. We suspect the break-in was premeditated and scoped before the actual day of the crime.
One of the rooms that was burglarized had glass cabinets on either side looking out into the hallways of Briggs. That means that these burglars would have been in full view if anyone had walked past the classroom. This boldness makes one question the security of the building and how safe it is for students studying at night.
Teachers have expressed that while they are angered by the loss of equipment, an even graver an issue is that of the safety of students who study in Briggs at night.
Professor Peter Peregrine commented, “To have someone get hurt would be awful… It takes [the significance of the crime] to a different level… that’s frightening.”
He went on to express that the faculty wants students to feel as though the academic buildings are places for them to use, and that locking the classrooms up at night would ruin such an opportunity.
Incidents such as this break-in have an obvious effect on the student body. Something like this doesn’t go unnoticed, and its consequences don’t go unfelt. We all suffer for someone’s poor choices.
On a campus as small as this, we all feel the repercussions. Some of us feel disbelief at the violation. Some of us have lost access to the classrooms where we used to study. Some of us have even had to endure lectures from professors who believed students were responsible for the crime.
While no evidence has been made public indicating whether the crime was executed by Lawrence affiliates, we should hope that no Lawrence student would be so disrespectful of his or her colleagues.
Students end up being punished in every way. Not only does our tuition money cover the financial setback, but we’ve also lost access to our facilities, our trust of each other as a student body, and most of all, the trust that teachers have in their students.