Police Investigate Weekend Laptop Thefts

The recent string of burglaries began Friday, and while one arrest has been made, Chapel Hill police are investigating whether the cases are related.

In all six incidents, the laptops were taken from the victim's room.

Chapel Hill police responded to the first burglary call at 12:52 p.m. Friday at the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house, located at 304 S. Columbia St., reports state. The total value of the stolen laptop was $2,800, reports state.

Also at 12:52 p.m., Chapel Hill police responded to a burglary call at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house, located at 112 Fraternity Court, reports state. The value of the second laptop reported stolen was $800, reports state.

Later Friday night, Chapel Hill police responded to a burglary call at the Sigma Chi fraternity house, located at 102 Fraternity Court. The value of a laptop reported stolen was $2,000, reports state.

The laptop theft at local fraternity houses continued Saturday night. Chapel Hill police responded to a call at 11:40 p.m. at 114 S. Columbia St. Reports state that the victim's computer had been stolen from the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house. The laptop was valued at $3,600.

A laptop was also stolen from Chi Psi fraternity, located at 300 S. Columbia St., later Saturday night.

Also on Saturday night, an intruder entered the residence at 321 W. Cameron Ave. and took two IBM ThinkPads valued at $3,500 a piece and one pullover valued at $30, reports state.

Only one arrest has been made in connection with the incidents.

Devon Jacob Withers, 25, of 3311 Shannon Road, Durham, was arrested at 4 p.m. Monday at 325 W. Rosemary St., reports state. Withers is being charged with two felony counts of first-degree burglary, two felony counts of larceny and one misdemeanor count of larceny, reports state.

Withers was originally charged with attempted burglary of a laptop at 316 W. Rosemary St. and the theft of two cordless phones from Kerr Drug on 109 E. Franklin St., reports state.

But after interviewing Withers, officials also charged him with stealing the two laptop computers from the Chi Psi fraternity house Saturday night, said Chapel Hill police spokeswoman Jane Cousins.

Withers faced similar charges in January when he was arrested for stealing a laptop out of a student's room in Granville Towers. Withers was arrested by police at Time-Out Restaurant shortly after the incident, reports state.

Cousins said police are investigating whether Withers might have been involved in the other laptop thefts but that officers had found no evidence linking him to the other incidents.

In the wake of the recent burglaries, Cousins said patrol routes would change.

Officer Chris Blue, of the Chapel Hill Crime Prevention Department, suggested that fraternities and sororities adopt several measures to keep their houses safe.

Most importantly, Blue suggested that residents keep doors and windows locked at all times. "With so many people coming in and out of these houses, it is hard to always have the houses locked," he said. "At least shut the door behind you when you leave."

Blue also suggested reinforcing weak doors and moving valuables away from windows.

"You can decrease the chance of being victimized by not having a lot of valuables in the house," Blue said.

In addition to basic security precautions, Blue said that upon request the police department can survey a residence free of charge to determine how to make the area safer.

The survey would provide tips on lighting, landscaping and security for windows and doors.

Contact Blue at 932-2917 for more information.

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.