Lafayette Online » Purdue University Police

Purdue police arrest Hinsdale, IL man for alleged theft

admin — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:46:24 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue police arrested a man on Thursday (Sept. 10) in connection with the alleged theft of nearly $3,000 worth of items from a house on Russell Street shared by three university students.

Timothy Leung, 20, a sophomore in the College of Technology from Hinsdale, Ill., was charged with felony burglary and theft after his arrest late Thursday afternoon.

According to a report, the roommates called police on Tuesday (Sept. 8) evening after noticing several CDs, DVDs, a guitar and electronics equipment were missing.

The roommates later discovered that someone was trying to sell items similar to those taken from their house. Police arranged to meet the seller to buy a guitar. According to a police report, Leung was arrested after arriving at the location with the guitar that was allegedly stolen. Police later obtained a warrant to search Leung’s residence at 854 Rose St. in West Lafayette and discovered numerous items believed to be among those stolen, said Purdue police Lt. Fred Davis.

Burglary is a Class B felony and is punishable by a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to 20 years in prison. Theft is a Class D felony, punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and a maximum three years in prison.

PUPD, West Lafayette police educate campus, community on crosswalks, enforcement

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:18:30 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University Police Department and West Lafayette police will conduct an enforcement campaign the week of Aug. 24-31 to educate students and the public about new crosswalks aimed at helping ensure pedestrian safety on busy streets around campus.

Purdue and West Lafayette officers will begin issuing warnings for crosswalk violations through Aug. 23. Beginning Aug. 24, officers will patrol in and around the crosswalks, issuing warnings and tickets to violators.

The new crosswalks are the result of a joint effort between the city of West Lafayette and Purdue. Crosswalks, along with new signs, have been installed at selected intersections and mid-block locations.

While police can warn or cite pedestrians for jaywalking, an emphasis of the campaign will be on increasing motorists’ awareness of the crossing points, said West Lafayette Police Chief Jason Dombkowski.

“We will focus enforcement on drivers who fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians who are in the crosswalks,” Dombkowski said. “While pedestrians can be ticketed for not crossing at the crosswalks, that is not our focus. We won’t chase pedestrians down and ticket them for jaywalking, but they must understand that the liability is on them if they choose not to cross at a marked crosswalk.”

The crosswalk zones have ladder-style markings, as well as yield bars 20 feet before the crosswalk where drivers are to yield. Signs have been installed to identify the crosswalk zones and to alert drivers as to where they are to stop for pedestrians.

During the campaign, officers from the two departments will patrol on foot, by bike and in marked squad cars, said Purdue University Police Chief John Cox. Purdue police will focus on pedestrian crossings on Russell Street at the intersections of Third and Fourth streets. West Lafayette police will concentrate on crossings on Northwestern Avenue at Columbia Street and at the corner of Grant and North streets. The two departments will jointly patrol a crossing at the intersection of Stadium and Northwestern avenues. The locations were chosen based on crash data, vehicle traffic and pedestrian volume.

“Changing driver and pedestrian behavior in and around crosswalks will not happen overnight,” Cox said. “We are looking at this as a four-year project. By the time these incoming freshmen are seniors, our goal is that these safety features are engrained in them and it will carry through to the new students.”

David Buck, West Lafayette city engineer, said there is a lot of interest in the crosswalks and mid-block crossings and that time and resources are being invested in making the entire city more pedestrian friendly.

“This is a safety issue that is important to the city,” Buck said. “Each crosswalk or mid-block crossing installed costs in the area of $5,000.”

Jim Knapp, senior civil engineer for Purdue, said pedestrian safety is a priority.

“The university is committed to making our campus as safe as possible for all students, staff and visitors,” Knapp said. “The crosswalk project is one of many safety enhancements the Office of the University Architect works on in concert with the city each year.”

Both Cox and Dombkowski say it is important for pedestrians and motorists to understand Indiana state law regarding marked pedestrian crossings.

“State law governing the use of crosswalks is not new. Educating pedestrians and motorists on the laws will be one of the keys to making it safer for pedestrians as they cross busy city and university streets,” Cox said.

Dombkowski said there will be an educational effort, then an enforcement component to the campaign.

“Purdue and West Lafayette officers will begin issuing warnings for crosswalk violations through Aug. 23. Beginning Aug. 24, officers will patrol in and around the crosswalks, issuing warnings and tickets to violators,” he said.

State law regulates pedestrian and driver actions at such crossings. Indiana Code concerning traffic and pedestrian controls is available online at http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title9/ar21/ch17.html

Lafayette man charged with burglary, theft from Purdue facility

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:14:14 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police arrested a Lafayette man Tuesday (Dec. 30) for allegedly stealing computer equipment from the Meteorological Laboratory at 1305 McCormick Road.

Kevin R. Critser, 28, 3320 Mystic Lane, Lafayette, was charged with burglary and theft, said Purdue police detective Sgt. Matt Rosenbarger.

Police responded to an alarm at the building at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday. As officers stopped to open a gate into the area, a car approaching from the gate’s other side quickly turned around and sped off, Rosenbarger said. Police entered the area and found an abandoned blue Mitzubishi Eclipse stuck in the mud near the Purdue tennis complex.

Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and found computer equipment allegedly taken from the laboratory, Rosenbarger said. The car was registered to Critser, who was later found at the Country Villa Apartments in West Lafayette with an acquaintance. He was detained for questioning, and then arrested at 1 p.m.

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

Purdue police charge 2 in theft of vacuum cleaner

admin — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:17:42 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue police have arrested two people for allegedly stealing a vacuum cleaner from the university’s Recreational Sports Center.

Paul. S. Petticrew, 19, a freshman in the College of Science from Zionsville, Ind., and James A. Berg 18, a freshman in the School of Management from Shawano, Wis., were arrested Thursday (Nov. 20). Both face theft charges.

According to a police report, surveillance video showed two men using a student identification card to enter the center’s rear turnstile shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 16). The entrance is near a closet in which the vacuum was stored. The video shows the person believed to be Berg leaving the area followed by the person believed to be Petticrew leaving with the vacuum cleaner, valued at about $344.

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

Purdue police seek information on stolen electric power cable

admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:47:00 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are investigating the theft of about $15,000 worth of copper electric power cable from a storage compound near the Physical Facilities Service Building off Ahlers Drive.

Purdue police Lt. Fred Davis said approximately 2,500 feet of coiled electric power cable was taken sometime between Wednesday (Oct. 29) evening and early Thursday (Oct. 30) morning. About 50 rolls of black plastic-coated cable, each weighing 40-50 pounds and 50 feet in length, were taken from storage containers at the compound, he said.

The theft was reported to police at about 10 a.m. Thursday after employees of the high-voltage electric shop noticed that a storage container was missing its padlock, and the door was open.

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 tipline at (765) 496-3784.

Bicycle patrolman happens upon alleged burglary in progress, arrests 3

admin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:13:33 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A Purdue University police officer on bicycle patrol caught three men allegedly burglarizing the Underground Café in the Hicks Undergradute Library early Sunday (June 29).

Officer Mike Boesch was on patrol at about 3 a.m. when he noticed a 1995 tan Mercury Grand Marquis parked in a no-parking zone in front of Stewart Center, according to a police report. Remembering several recent reported thefts in Stewart Center and the Hicks library, Boesch proceeded to ride to each of the Stewart Center doors to make sure they were secured when he noticed two men exiting the east doors at Hicks.

“One of the men was carrying a large backpack in front of him, and it appeared to be heavy,” Purdue police Lt. Fred Davis said. “The two got in the vehicle, where a third man was sitting in the driver’s seat, and our officer confronted them.”

Davis said that Boesch asked to see what was in the backpack, and the man carrying it complied. The officer found several Rockstar energy drinks and two Fuze fruit drinks inside of it.

After further searches and questioning at the Purdue police station the three men were arrested on multiple charges. All are listed as homeless and have no connections to Purdue.

Nicholas R. Smith, 19, who was seen exiting the library, had been previously banned from the Purdue campus. He was charged with burglary, Class C felony; theft, a Class D felony; trespassing, a Class A misdemeanor; and failure to appear on a previous charge. He also was charged with possession of marijuana under 30 grams, a Class A misdemeanor, after police found a baggie in the jacket he was wearing. A warrant for his arrest also had been issued by Lafayette police for a battery charge.

Alan E. Hughes, 21, the vehicle’s driver, was charged with conspiracy to commit burglary, a Class C felony, and false informing, a Class B misdemeanor. Tyler J. Bradbury, 20, the person seen carrying the backpack, was charged with burglary and theft.

Class C felonies are punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and a maximum eight years in prison, and Class D felonies are punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and three years in prison. Class A misdemeanors are punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a $5,000 fine, and Class B misdemeanors by up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Each of the three have been issued trespass orders and are banned from the Purdue campus, Davis said.

“This is a fine example of how bike patrol aids us in our duties here at Purdue,” Davis said. “Officer Boesch was able to observe the suspicious activity from areas that would have been extremely difficult by officers in our patrol vehicles.”

Davis said Purdue police also contacted Lafayette police about several fireworks found in the car in relation to a theft at Circle City Fireworks.

Purdue to remove orphaned bicycles, unclaimed bikes to be sold

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:04:13 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Abandoned and damaged bicycles on the West Lafayette academic campus (not residence halls or Purdue Village) will be removed during the next week in a partnership between the Grounds Department and Purdue Police.

Student patrol officers will begin marking bicycles this week and the bikes will be removed by grounds personnel next week (May 5-9).

Removed bicycles will be held for 90 days and a master list of all bicycles removed will be maintained by the police department. After the 90-day holding period, abandoned bicycles will be made available for sale using established University procedures.

Gary Evans, director of grounds, encourages students to take care of their bicycles before the semester ends.

“Our mission is to maintain the visible excellence of our campus, and abandoned bikes detract from that image,” Evans said. “We also want to provide fair warning to students that we are conducting a campus-wide sweep, and to let them know they should contact the police department at 49-48221 if they think their bicycle was secured as a damaged or abandoned bike.”

Purdue police investigate attempted laptop theft in Meredith Hall

admin — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:32:07 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are investigating the attempted theft of two laptop computers from a room in Meredith Residence Hall on Friday (April 11).

According to police, a student walked into her room on the second floor shortly before 3 p.m. to find two men there. One of them was carrying a dark-colored duffle bag, Purdue police Capt. John Cox said. She confronted the men and pulled the two laptops from the bag.

The men immediately ran from the room and were seen leaving Meredith Hall on foot, Cox said.

The student told police both men are black. One was described as about 6 feet 2 inches tall, with shoulder-length braided hair. He was wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans and carrying the duffle bag. The other was described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a heavy build. He was wearing a plain, black T-shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Purdue Police Department at (765) 494-8221 or call the department’s anonymous tip line at (765) 496-3784.

Lafayette Online » Purdue University Police

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