Related burglaries occur during break
While students were out of town for fall break, someone else broke into their homes.
Of the five burglaries reported Sunday by University students, three most likely were related, according to Athens-Clarke County Police.
The burglaries occurred after students left on Wednesday or Thursday.
According to the ACC police reports:
One burglary occurred on Woodstone Drive. Elizabeth Dunlap arrived home to find the front door unlocked and a kitchen window open. Because she was aware of burglaries that occurred in the area during the break, she took her small valuables home. The larger appliances were left alone. The officer noted it looked like a pry bar had been used to open the window.
Another burglary occurred on Lakeside Drive. Lindsey Proia reported she was the last to leave and locked all the doors. When she returned, the front door and a side window were open. A laptop, a TV and a purse were stolen. The items totaled more than $3,600.
Two burglaries occurred at adjacent homes at The Retreat on Jonas Avenue.
In one incident, Kelly Tarrant, Elizabeth Pilcher and Katherine Levy said they locked the doors but did not set the house alarm. Each room of the house was ransacked, and contents were strewn on the floor. The suspect entered by prying open a window. The roommates reported a laptop, wireless cable box, iPod docking station and jewelry stolen. The items totaled more than $5,000.
In the second incident, John Neblett said he returned to find the front door unlocked, the back door open and each room ransacked. Neblett and his roommates reported five laptops, a PlayStation and two handguns stolen. The back door was kicked in, and pry marks were on the window next to the back door. The items totaled more than $10,000.
A fifth burglary occurred on College Avenue. Anthony Bakshi said he arrived home to find the front door unlocked and the back door kicked. Bakshi and his roommates reported two backpacks, three laptops, a class ring, a humidor with cigars, two iPods, Nintendo Wii and two necklaces stolen. The items totaled more than $7,000.
The officer said this burglary was similar to the two incidents at The Retreat.
He was able to recover several fingerprints for evidence at the College Avenue residence.
