WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue police Chief Gary Evans is leaving his position of four years to become director of grounds for Purdue Physical Facilities, and John Cox has been named interim police chief, university officials announced Friday (April 25).

Evans, who has spent 24 years in law enforcement, became Purdue’s police chief in March 2004 after 16 years with the Valparaiso (Ind.) Police Department. He will assume his new duties May 1.

He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1984-88. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind., and a master’s degree from Valparaiso (Ind.) University.

“I have truly enjoyed my four years as Purdue’s police chief and will miss the people at the police department,” Evans said. “I have never worked with a better group of people.

“I also am excited about the opportunities this move presents and am looking forward to working with the dedicated staff who do an excellent job at Grounds. I believe in the benefits of helping increase sustainability at Purdue and hope to continue building upon the university’s recycling and sustainability efforts.”

As director of grounds, Evans will report to senior director for buildings and grounds Martha May and develop organizational and operational policies, procedures and goals for the department. He will evaluate new construction, landscaping and irrigation systems and oversee the department refuse, recycling and topsoil programs on campus, among other duties.

“Maintaining and improving campus grounds is an important goal for Purdue, and our search process confirmed that Gary is the best person to lead this department,” May said. “He has strong leadership and management skills as evidenced by the police department’s many accomplishments during his years as chief.”

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Someone has absconded with more than half a mile of copper wire from a campus construction storage area, and the Purdue police would like to know who.

Purdue police on Thursday (April 24) are looking for information about the theft of approximately $44,000 worth of insulated copper wire from a construction storage area on campus during the past three weeks.

A Purdue employee told police approximately 2,800 feet of stranded copper wire, ranging in thickness from one-fourth of an inch to one inch in diameter, was taken at some point after April 4. The insulated copper wire was taken from a construction storage area near the Physical Facilities service building, said Lt. Fred Davis.

Davis said the wire, which is used for electrical construction and remodeling projects at the university, may have been taken, stripped of its plastic coating, and then sold to a salvage company.

The person or people responsible for the theft may have had to make multiple trips to haul the copper wire away since such a large amount was taken, Davis said.

Theft is a Class D felony punishable by up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Purdue Police Department at (765) 494-8221 or the anonymous crime tip line at (765) 496-3784.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are warning of a potential advanced fee scam involving the online purchase of personal items.

According to police, a student advertised a DVD player for sale for $175 on his Facebook account. A short time later, the student received an e-mail from a person who wanted to buy it and send payment by mail.

“The e-mailer told the student he would receive a check for $2,850, and that the student was to deposit the check, take $175 out for the purchase of the DVD player and an extra $30 for himself,” Lt. Fred Davis said. “When he received the check, the student deposited it into his checking account, then sent $2,400 via Western Union to where he was told to do so.”

Afterward, the student checked his bank account and noticed he was overdrawn, Davis said.

“In these types of cases, the bank will determine that the original check was bogus in about 24 hours, and the person who made the bank transaction then becomes liable for the full amount of the bad check” Davis said.

Davis said people should never take part in a transaction involving an overage payment.

“Anytime a seller receives a check for more than the purchase price, that should be a big tip of a scam,” he said.

Davis said anyone who suspects a scam can go online to the Internet Crime Complaint Center Web site http://ic3.gov to report it and for information on current scams taking place

Anyone who has been contacted about making such a transaction should report it to Purdue police at (765) 494-8221.