Tuesday, Jan. 24
On Tuesday, an employee of AT&T filed a report of larceny. The employee told officers that there had been two sections of copper pipe stolen from a communications tower on Observatory Road, in Amherst. The amount of copper stolen was reportedly valued at $100, while repairs were estimated to cost $1,500.
At 6:39 p.m., a student reported that an iPad 2, an iPod and an Otterbox, a case commonly used for Apple products, were stolen from a practice room at the Fine Arts Center. According to University of Massachusetts Deputy Chief of Police Patrick Archbald, the student had left the practice room for a brief period of time, and returned to find that the items were missing. The total value for the products is estimated to be approximately $900. There are no suspects at this time.
Thursday, Jan. 26
At 1:29 p.m., a female student reported receiving threatening phone calls while she was at the Chenoweth Lab. According to Archbald, the student stated that she did not recognize the number or the voice of the caller. Such calls occur less commonly now because they are easier to be tracked, according to Archbald. The number was traced to Connecticut. The matter is being investigated by both UMPD and Conn. authorities.
At approximately 3:50 a.m., officers responded to a report from the Curry Hicks Cage. An employee reported that the building had been broken into. A staff member told officers that a door had been kicked in, which left the door with minor damage. According to Archbald, people often break into the building late at night to use the pool. Normally the doors are locked at around 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 28
On Friday night, two female students reported a breaking and entering and an assault and battery that occurred in Kennedy Tower. A female student told responding officers that when she opened her door that evening she saw a man inside she didn’t recognize. He was reportedly wearing a t-shirt and boxer shorts, but nothing else. He reportedly left the room and came back to retrieve a pair of boots. The female student said the male student seemed confused as to what floor he was on.
On Saturday morning, at approximately 6 a.m., the female student woke up to what she believed was a hand on her back. The issue is currently under investigation by the UMPD. On the definition of assault, Archbald said, “If I take a swing at you, and I miss, that’s assault, if you were put in fear. Assault is if I have every attention of striking you, but I miss, and in the process I am putting you in fear. Assault and battery is when I actually hit you, so when there is contact between one party and another, and that can be any kind of contact.”
At 12:56 a.m., Tyler Dolan of Melrose, Mass., was arrested on the charges of destruction of property over $250 and disorderly conduct. He is not a student at UMass. An officer, on patrol, was parked in lot 71, where he saw a group of males gathered in the parking lot. Reportedly, one male jumped onto the hood of a car and proceeded to walk up to the roof. When approached by the officer, he denied the incident at first, but then admitted to doing it. Dolan reportedly told the officer he “did it to show off to his friends.”
