Throughout three days this week, five different students reported an item stolen while at the Student Recreation Complex.
The first theft was reported just after noon on Monday when a student found her black and gold purse had gone missing while she was in The Jungle Gym. MU Police Department Capt. Brian Weimer said the purse contained multiple credit cards, her driver’s license and $50 in cash.
A second incident was reported just before 3 p.m. the same day a student returned to the men’s locker room to find his wallet had been taken. Weimer said the wallet, which was inside the student’s backpack in the locker, contained $30 in cash and his student ID card.
“The combination lock was on the door, but he said he may have forgotten to lock it,” Weimer said.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Monday night, MUPD received two more reports of theft from The Jungle Gym in the recreation center. Weimer said one student returned to his cubby in the easternmost side of the room to find a cell phone and wallet containing cash and several gift cards gone. Half an hour later, another student reported a pair of sweatpants missing from The Jungle Gym.
“The moral of the story is to not leave your stuff anywhere,” Weimer said. “We have surveillance in the surrounding areas, but we can’t station an officer there all the time.”
Wednesday afternoon, MUPD officers responded to the fifth report of theft at the recreation center in three days. Shortly before 5 p.m., a student reported a North Face jacket had been stolen from a Jungle Gym cubby while working out.
“The best thing we can do is to make sure the public is aware that this is happening and that the people at the recreation center know it’s going on,” Weimer said.
No arrests have been made in any of the five cases.