SEATTLE — A thief or group of thieves is targeting University of Washington students by breaking into fraternities and stealing items from their bedrooms even as they sleep inside.
University of Washington Police sent out an alert Friday morning about eight burglaries in just the month of August.
“I can't even imagine,” Evyn Newman, a junior at UW, said. “If I woke up and saw someone, I would be so scared.”
Evyn Newman and her sister, Hana, are thankful they were away when someone broke into the fraternity house, Sigma Chi, they’d been living in this summer. Both male and female students live in the fraternities during the summertime.
Their room was locked, but the room next door was open. Hana told KIRO 7 her friend’s phone was stolen from next to her head as she slept.
“They're not afraid to get close to you if they see something that they want in the room,” Hana Newman said. “So that's what's scariest. Knowing that there's someone in your room while you're sleeping.”
Police agree: This thief is bold.
“This is one of those where you kind of got to be worried… someone is willing enough to go into an occupied home,” Seattle police Detective Patrick Michaud said.
Michaud said the thief may have even tampered with security cameras. The thief or thieves got into houses through unlocked windows or doors, stealing tablets, laptop computers, backpacks and wallets worth thousands of dollars.
Sigma Chi was one of the first houses hit. Police were called in just after 7 a.m. on Aug. 3.
The housekeeper reported that he had confronted a man spotted inside around 5 a.m. He said the man claimed he was there to deliver pot.
That stranger is now considered a possible suspect and described as a black male, approximately 25 years old. He is estimated to be about 6 feet tall and weigh 210 pounds. He was described as wearing black clothing and possibly carrying a black backpack.
Police said if anyone believes they’ve spotted him acting suspiciously, they should not confront him but instead call 911.
Members of Sigma Chi told KIRO 7 they will be installing exterior lighting and are also looking into how they could fund off-duty police officers to monitor the house at night.