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"Shifty" suspect sacks Exeter

Exeter College was victim to a series of thefts last Sunday, carried out by a female intruder posing as a member of the MCR. Wallets, mobile phones and a laptop were stolen from inside the college, including from its library and chapel.

The College’s Junior Dean, Michelle Fernandes, warned students about “a series of thefts by an unidentified person” in an email on Sunday afternoon and urged them “to take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of valuables”.

A group of first years reported seeing “a very strange woman, looking shifty and confused, like she might’ve been on drugs.”

The intruder made her way seemingly at random around the College, striking the library between 4.24 and 4.27pm.

Michael Wilson, a second year medic whose laptop was stolen, told Cherwell, “It’s really very annoying. Incredibly lucky I backed up my laptop before this term but it’s a lot harder to work now.

“I was working in the library when I went to get some water from the JCR. On the way out I met a woman in the corridor, so I stopped to let her pass! She was a short, large woman wearing several coats, the outer one black. I returned to the library 3 minutes later and my laptop wasn’t there. At first I thought it was a prank.”

College CCTV shows the thief managing to enter the library without a swipe card and walking past other students in an effort to pose as a member of the MCR.

Members of the College choir also had their lockers raided during evensong. Matt Stokes, a first year linguist, had his Dolce & Gabbana wallet stolen, including all of its contents.

“We always leave our stuff near the chapel when we sing because we can’t take it in, and when we returned on Sunday we realised five wallets and two phones had gone. They’d been through pockets and bags and taken everything they could.

“I was lucky because I had no cash in there, but the wallet was worth £150 and is one of the nicest things I own. Plus all my student cards and ID were taken.

“To be honest I’m mostly angry at myself for leaving my wallet there; I knew I shouldn’t have but we just didn’t expect this.”

Matt Stokes said, “The College were really good about sorting stuff out and made sure we’re all right for money. They’ve given us insurance forms to fill in and seem to be determined to do as much as they can to sort it out.”

Reports of the thefts appear to demonstrate the woman may have not been thinking clearly.

Michael Wilson explained, “The thief was not put off by other people. There was even someone the same side of the bench. And I don’t know why she picked my laptop instead of all the others left unattended. It was right next to a MacBook Pro, worth at least twice as much.”

The police have recognised the woman’s description as a repeat offender and the College is hopeful of tracking her down.

In response, other Turl Street colleges have increased security. Lincoln’s Domestic Bursar, Dr Rachel Buxton, has asked the college “to be particularly vigilant. Watch out for tail-gaters following you into College, ensure you lock your rooms, and don’t leave any property unattended.”

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