Three suspicious individuals pulling on door handles at the education complex were reported to Public Safety around midnight on Wednesday, Nov. 2 by a residential assistant.
Also, at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, Campus Facilities reported vandalism and thefts at the corporation yard, the campus facilities grounds behind Founders Commons on the Seminary side of campus.
Niviece Robinson, operations superintendent and interim director of public safety, said the Oakland Police Department reported the incident at the corporate yard at 10:30 a.m.
Seven Mills facilities trucks were vandalized – windows broken, dents made – and tools were stolen from several of the vehicles. Paul Richards, the director of campus facilities, was away for a conference, so there is not yet an assessment of collateral damage.
“The primary areas of concern have been the Education Complex and the CPM [chemistry, physics and mathematics] building, securing the Oval,” Robinson said.
She said one of her goals is to increase security at the corporate yard by installing video cameras and upgrading the existing fence to an iron rod fence, making it easier to see when there has been a breach of security.
According to Robinson, the suspects seen at the Education Complex were not identified. A janitor who was working in the building first saw the three and called for backup. A resident assistant assisted her in translating to Public Safety what she saw. The second guard on duty left the front gate to assist the first at the education complex, so for a short time the gate was unguarded.
An Oakland Police detective has been assigned to the case and met with Robinson on Tuesday, Nov. 8 to discuss the investigation.
Robinson said that in the coming months she will be working with individual departments to upgrade security by installing cameras.
