Averett break-ins keep Danville police busy

DANVILLE - Danville police are investigating about 10 break-ins in four days at Averett University.

The break-ins started on Feb. 27, said Capt. Matt Carter, a spokesman for the Danville Police Department. Five burglaries were reported from dorm rooms and five from cars. No arrests have been made.

The burglars took laptops, jewelry and credit cards, among other things, Carter said. Sometimes, the burglars broke into a car but didn’t take anything.

The victims include Spencer Simmons, whose dorm was broken into the night of Feb. 28. Simmons is a junior who is studying criminal justice at Averett.

He got back to his dorm room that night, opened the door, looked at his desk and didn’t see his laptop. He knew someone stole it because burglars hit another room on his floor the night before.

Also taken was jewelry, a digital camera and a safe deposit box, which had letters from family and friends, Simmons said.

The burglars used a plastic card to unlock the door. After the break-in, Simmons watched a Danville police officer stick a Subway card into the door crack and unlock it in 10 seconds.

Now, he’s frustrated that someone was able to get past his locked door and that Averett won’t reimburse him, though the housing contract states that the university is not responsible for thefts.

Sarah Huckstep, a spokeswoman for the university, said that the housing contract puts responsibility of property damage or loss on the students, who are encouraged to get renter’s insurance.

Huckstep said that staff has checked every door in the residence halls and made repairs. She also encouraged students with faulty locks to contact university staff.

“Our security and student life personnel are working very closely with the Danville Police Department to resolve this issue,” Huckstep said in an e-mailed statement.  “Unfortunately, these types of incidents do occur on university campuses, and we continue to encourage our students to be vigilant. We have been working closely with the impacted students as we attempt to resolve the matter.”