West Virginia University Police have issued a Campus Warning following reports of burglary and larceny in the Downtown campus area. The incidents occurred at Morgan House, located at 660 North High St., and Phi Kappa Tau at 692 North High St., where the suspect reportedly entered through unlocked windows. Another off-campus incident was also reported nearby.
The burglary at Morgan House was reported by employees early Tuesday morning. At Phi Kappa Tau, officers discovered the alleged crime while investigating a separate report of a suspicious person in the area on Tuesday.
University Police are conducting an active investigation and have released several photos of a suspect available online. "Our officers immediately increased patrols in this area which will continue throughout the fall break," said Chief Sherry St. Clair. She added that with many members of the university community away from campus, there may be additional unreported cases, urging everyone to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity promptly.
Those with information that could assist in the investigations are encouraged to contact UPD at 304-293-3136 or visit their office at 992 Elmer Prince Drive. Anonymous tips are accepted.
Safety tips provided include locking windows, doors, and vehicles when not monitored; developing routines to check locks; not leaving spare keys accessible to others; reporting lost keys or IDs immediately; calling 911 if in danger; reporting potential crimes to WVUPD; downloading the WVU LiveSafe app; and using blue light emergency call systems during emergencies.
Additional resources include contacts for various WVU departments such as Police Department (911, 304-293-2677), CARE Team, Carruth Center (304-293-4431), Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (304-293-5600), Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (304-293-8111), Faculty-Staff Assistance Program (304-293-5590), Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center (304-292-5100), Office of Campus and Community Life (304-293-5611), Student Health (304-285-7200), and Division of Student Life (304-293-5811).
Health, safety, preparedness, and training resources can be found on safety.wvu.edu and police.wvu.edu. Students and staff are encouraged to follow WVU Safety on social media platforms for updates.
The Campus Warning is part of WVU's three-tiered emergency notification system aimed at enhancing student and employee safety while providing valuable information to the community.