Even if they were Giants fans, Superbowl Sunday was a loss for at least seven residents of Mountainview College’s Hunter Hall.
According to Binghamton’s New York State University Police, about $3,500 worth of electronics and personal belongings were stolen from the unlocked common rooms of four suites while residents were sleeping early Monday morning.
Students reported missing an Apple MacBook, a Toshiba laptop, an Xbox, three Xbox controllers, six Xbox games, a Nintendo Wii, a Nintendo Wii guitar for “Guitar Hero,” two Wii games, PlayStation 2 controllers, at least one PlayStation game and a wristlet purse with $50 cash.
The time of the spree, which was on different floors of the building, was apparently between 4 and 7:45 a.m. according to students’ reports.
Police have no witnesses or suspects and are still investigating the thefts.
“It’s a damper on community spirit,” said Mountainview College Council’s President Teresa Florindi, who resides on one of the floors that got hit.
Hunter Hall is inhabited by 286 students — about half are freshmen and transfer students.
Freshman Dan Camporese woke up after a chaotic Superbowl Sunday to find his video games and his roommate’s Wii missing.
“The person who did it probably picked the night of the Superbowl because there were a lot of people around,” he said.
Freshman Helene Aronson, who lives next door, got her purse stolen from the same room as the Wii.
“We were upset because of the safety factor, because I got my keys stolen,” she said. “[The University] is going to make me pay for the relock that they did.”
The spree apparently only hit Hunter, police said, but strings of theft have been a common problem on campus when students leave their belongings unsecured. Authorities are urging campus residents to be more careful.
“Basically, people need to lock their door,” said Investigator Dennis P. Bush of University police. “I can’t make it simpler than that.”
Students are also advised to report suspicious people and activity as soon as possible.
“I would caution if people that you have never seen are standing outside the building and they don’t have a key card, you should not let them into the building,” Florindi said.
In a string of thefts in Hunter last semester, students reported missing video games, decorations and a $140 mountain bike. Residents’ doors were left unlocked.
–Robert Hadad-Zlokower and John Jensen contributed reporting to this article.