MSU police reported another break-in attempt at a chemical-laden facility on campus Thursday.
This is the third incident in recent weeks occurring at a campus scientific center, furthering concerns about the safety of the structures.
An MSU employee told police an unknown suspect attempted to enter a pharmacy located in the Veterinary Medical Center between 5 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday. The unknown person allegedly tried to enter a room west of the pharmacy through the ceiling, said MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor.
Ceiling tiles were found out of place, but a cemented wall denied access to the pharmacy next door. Office furniture was also moved around in the room, McGlothian-Taylor said.
Antibiotics, flea powder, antiseptics and the drug ketamine are among chemicals available in the pharmacy. For pets, ketamine is used as an anesthetic. But it is also considered a club drug, often distributed at raves, according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information’s Web site.
Known on the streets as Special K or Kit Kat, ketamine causes hallucinogenic effects and impaired perceptions after ingested in a pill or liquid form, the Web site, www.health.org, said. Side effects are similar to those experienced after ingesting PCP or “angel dust.”
The attempted break-in at the clinic is considered “speculation” by Janver Krehbiel, the associate dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
He said nothing was broken to visibly show that the attempted break-in occurred in the building. “While a ceiling tile may have been moved there was no break-in situation coupled with this,” he said.
“We have no information as to why it happened or how it happened, and there was no information of a forced entry,” he said. “At this point we have no specific information that anything is missing.”
But police are continuing their investigation.
On Friday, an MSU employee reported acetic acid stolen from the chemistry department. Eight 4-liter bottles of the acid were taken out of a locked stock room between July 1 and Sept. 10, police said.
Also last week, officials said actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, a pig bacteria that causes pneumonia in young pigs, was stolen from an unlocked room in the Biomedical and Physical Science Building between Sept. 12-13. Research disks and documents also were taken.
No warrants have been issued to a suspect in connection to the pig research materials theft, McGlothian-Taylor said, but employees are being investigated.
Alison Barker can be reached at barkera6@msu.edu.
