Bookstore thief takes $S3,000, remains at large
By Christopher Tray
police drawing
WANTED - potice betievd
this man stole $33,000 from
EUP's bookstore.
relations. University Police Chief Tom
EDITOR The suspect posed as
reparrrnan at the time of the
to look for
Police continue incident, saying that he was on
the man who stole some campus to check the alarm
$33,000 from the Edinboro systern located in the bookstore.
Urriversity bookstore on August Upon gaining entrance into
the alarm system, the robber --
The heist, whicn was who was clad in a dress shirt
commifted without physical and a tie -- emptied the safe,
hurl to any university which was left open. The
employees, students. or monies stolen included $21,800
families, took place at around I in checks, $11,500 in cash, and
or l:15 p.m., according to Bill $140 in money orders.
Reed, Edinboro Universitv's Although the suspect got
vice president fo.
assistant away with tfie funds fairlv
media arid community unsuspectingly, Edinboro
{
a Nelson is enthused bv the
progress of the investi gation.
"We definitely do have
something positive to point to,"
Nelson said. "We got contacted
by another universiW in western
Pennsylvania who hid a similar
theft happen."
Nelson noted that the physical
description of that robber is
similar to that of tfe EUp thief.
"At the other western
Pennsylvania university."
commented Nelson, "a medirun-
skinned black male walked into
an activities room, saying he
was there to check the lighting
system. While there, this man
,l
also walked away with I
rl
a
sizeable amount of cash from a
i!
nearby desk drawer." t:
Nelson added that the man
who committed the crime at the
other Western Pennsvlvania
University.may, in fait, be
linked to the similar crime
committed at Edinboro.
"Certainly, this may have
been a local crime," said
Nelson, "but the style of dress
and M.O. of the suspect was the
continued on page 2
BOOkStOfg . . . conrirued from page I
same at both of the universities,
so there are definite possibilities
that the robber may have been
the same man."
Nelson also said that an e-
mail was sent out to all major
universities located in Western
Pennsylvania, informing each of
thesc institutions llxrrrt thc
robbcry as well as thc suspect.
"Through the Westem
Pennsylvania College and
University Security Directors
Association," Nelson related,
"an e-mail, a composite drawing
of the suspect, and his M.O. for
the crime was distributed."
f)espite the fact that the thief
walkcd away witlr tlrc lurgc surrr
of money, Paul Kightlinger, the
director of auxiliary operations
at Edinboro University, praised
the students' handling of the
situation.
"I have to give credit to the
students," said Kightlinger.
"The store was quite busy and
the suspect was nonchalant in
his actions. He really didn't
raise any suspicion. I credit the
students for developing the
composite sketch that was sent
out to the various authorities,
and now because of the
incident, students are more
aware that I.D.'s must be
shown, especially if the visitor
is extemal."
Following the robbery,
Nelson commented that security
measures are almost sure to be
increased at the camous
bookstore.
"As we speak, there is
proposal for over 30 cameras to
be installed at the Universiry
Center." said Nelson. "The
main thing to consider now is
deciding who should put in the
new security system
maintenance here on campus or
an outside contractor." Kierzek commented that instruction on how to handle a said that t[e campus police are
Besides the proposed new while she was at Edinboro, visiior," said Savage. always hanging around her
security cameras at the campus students were never given Gannon's Kierzek explained bookstore anylvay, keeping an
bookstore, Nelson also felt that access to the safe. Her current that the'thange in management eye on its shoppers and what
security measures need to be policies dd not differ at Gannon. at Edinboro might have played a they are doing.
tightened up by university "The safe is locked down at part in the robbcr wllking trwly
employees, including students. all times," Kicrzck sirirl. willt tlrc loot. Kicrzck addcd that . her
"Will this sitrratiorr pr()lnl)t "Wlrcrrcvcr y()u ()l)cn tlrc salc, "ljccausc ol' the recent bookstore hasn't chansed a
arry lirrlhcl training lbr student you take out or deposit the changes in management, that thing since the Ed-inboro
employees to better handle money you need, then you lock may have been one of the robbery.
money?," Nelson asked it down." reasons why this offender
rhetorically. "I would certainly Behrend's Savage said that slipped through the cracks," she "Our money will continue to
hope so. We definitely need,to student employees are not in a explained. "Yet, Edinboro head get pulled frequently,"
tighten up procedures and position to grant external cashier Linda Swift is quite commented Kierzek. "We are
policies." visitors, such as someone fixing conscientious and very much on in .the middle of Erie, and
Despite the need to reinforce a repair system, access into any the ball." because ofthat and also the fact
those policies, Nelson did say part of the campus bookstore When asked if any further fhat the fall 'book rush' is
that the bookstore was in a without her prior approval. methods would be considered currently going on, we have to
tritttsitiorr ol' Ittlttagcnrcnt lt tltc: "All strrrlcnt cnrployccs rnrrst so that Rchrcnd's bookstore be especially conscious of the
time of the crime. defer to me tbr f urther would not be robbed, Savage money in our safe."
Heidi Savage, the manager of
the bookstore at Penn State-
Behrend, was somewhat
surprised that the safe at
Edinboro was left open in the
first place. .
"Our safe is constantly kept
locked,r,as is the door to the
safe," she said. "The security
system is also locked and only
two people -- myself and my
assistant manager -- have keys
to it. No one but the two of us
can get in there."
Nancy Kierzek, the manager
of the bookstore at Gannon
University, knows about the
daily happenings that go on at
the Edinboro University
bookstore. Kierzek was
employed here as the interim
manager from November 1997
to February 1999.
a "We don't differ from
Edinboro a whole lot." she said.
"People who work here are
excellent people, just like at
Edinboro, and are very
conscientious in knowing how
much money is in the safe at all SCENE OF THE CRIME - The campus bookstore was victimized by theft on August 27.
times." Bookstore managers at other area campuses agree that security is always a major issue.