College authorities at Christ Church are conducting an investigation after various items of furniture were stolen from the JCR during the room’s recent refurbishment.
In an email to college members, JCR Vice-President Kevin Tan said, “I am saddened to report that some members of college have stolen some of the brand new furniture that was meant for all of us.
‘I find this absolutely disgusting. The JCR belongs to all of us, and to take from our common space to furnish your own room is repugnant. It is also theft, pure and simple.”
Four new leather beanbags were stolen, along with three rugs. Tan told the JCR that the college was aware of the identity of the culprits. He said, “The porters and college authorities have CCTV evidence of who took the items. If they are not back in their original place by this Sunday, your names will be reported and action will be taken.
‘You know who you are; and if you see anyone with these items in their rooms, I hope you will tell them to return the items too.”
Chris Johnson, a third year student at Christ Church, told Cherwell that the furniture has reappeared in the JCR since Tan’s original email. He said that he was unaware of any punishment being imposed on any JCR members, saying that as far as he knew, ‘nothing much happened about it.’
When asked his reaction to the incident, Johnson took a lighthearted view on the matter, saying that the theft was “quite poor form, but still quite funny”.
However, not all JCR members adopted such a jocular stance. John Hintze, a first year PPE student at Christ Church, told Cherwell, “I think it’s completely out of order that anyone would steal from our JCR. It’s stealing from the college community.”
When approached by Cherwell this week, Kevin Tan declined to give any further information about the incident, saying, “The matter is still being dealt with by the relevant college authorities, and as such I cannot comment on the story.”
