An unknown person is reported to have been on St Catherine’s College’s property Thursday, January 14.
An email from the college’s JCR President Sarah White sent at 18:27 said that there had been “an unconfirmed incident in New Quad today, of someone entering college property and taking a student’s property.”
White warned students to make sure to lock their doors and “only let people who [they] recognise into college buildings.”
White sent a subsequent email at 18:51 saying that, “apparently there is someone questionable currently on college property.”
“The man is apparently wearing a dark tracksuit, in his late 20’s with a strong local accent. He’s said a few things (that he’s checking kitchen lights, that he’s looking for someone called ‘Andrew’, etc). Please do not admit him into any college buildings,” she added.
She again encouraged all students to check their rooms to see if they were locked or ask a friend to do so if not at college.
On Friday, Peter Robinson, the senior porter, sent round an email to St Catherine’s students stating, “There was an incident last night involving a intruder obtaining access to staircases resulting in the loss of property. Fortunately it was not more serious.”
“This was undoubtedly due to doors being left open by students for some reason – not only exterior doors but an individual room door was left unsecured. We are therefore obliged to remind all students that your personal, as well as property’s security, depends on the securing of external doors AT ALL TIMES and your own room’s door when you leave it.” Robinson warned that “the College does not have the benefit of large gated entrances and high stone walls surrounding it. All we have is the optimum restricted access to staircase and other doors.”
A further email from Sian Kelly confirmed the presence of yesterday’s thief who “pretended he was some sort of contractor/ maintenance guy”. She reassured students that “we now have a policy that all contractors must sign in and out, must be wearing a lanyard saying who they are, and are not supposed to be here after 4:30 as that is when maintenance shuts
