A reported break-in at Chandler Crossings yesterday is the sixth since the beginning of August, and although police say there’s no evidence connecting them, the alleged thefts are targeting students’ technology equipment.
An East Lansing man reported an unidentified man armed with a knife broke into his apartment Wednesday morning, according to the East Lansing Police Department.
The resident was getting out of the shower at approximately 11 a.m. when he heard someone moving around in his ground-floor apartment in The Landings at Chandler Crossings, 16789 Chandler Road. Upon investigating, he saw a black man, approximately 5-foot-9, wearing a green shirt and Spartan pajama pants, standing in the apartment.
The resident confronted the suspect, causing him to run outside through the patio door, which was left unlocked. Before running out, the suspect mentioned trying to steal Apple MacBooks and iPods.
East Lansing police Capt. Kim Johnson said there is no evidence linking this incident — or the other five to one another. However, most of the reports were similar, involving individuals entering first-floor apartments through unlocked patios or open windows and stealing electronics such as laptops, iPods and televisions, Johnson said.
“(Apartments) are targeted to some extent because most of our apartments are occupied either by students or student-aged individuals, and they usually have laptops, iPods and other electronics,” he said.
“(Burglars) are looking for opportunities and if there’s no opportunity to enter, then the residents won’t have a problem.”
Economics junior Po-Nien Chen was a victim of one the alleged break-ins.
Chen left his apartment for about an hour Tuesday morning and locked the door as he left, but when he returned he found his 13-inch MacBook Pro missing. Chen reported the theft to police, but he hasn’t received any word about the whereabouts of the laptop.
Despite the string of larcenies, regional manager for the Chandler Crossings communities Larry Viles agreed the break-ins were merely a crime of “opportunity.”
In an email, Viles said Chandler Crossings takes steps to ensure safety for residents, including security at night and on-site managers. In response to Wednesday’s home invasion, the complex distributed a letter to residents giving them tips to prevent break-ins.
Fisheries and wildlife junior and Chandlers Crossing resident Laura Kniffen said she has heard of a number of people falling victim to break-ins and burglaries, including two breaks-ins within her building in the past month.
“I feel safe on the third floor, but as far as the first floor, (it is a problem),” she said.
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