Harvard Police Arrest Suspect in String of Yard Burglaries

The Harvard University Police Department has identified a suspect who will be charged with three burglaries in a string of five that struck Harvard Yard in less than two weeks.

According to an advisory email from HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano, a HUPD officer spotted an individual “acting suspiciously” near the undergraduate dorms in Harvard Yard early Thursday morning. Immediately prior, another trespassing incident had taken place at Canaday Hall — the fifth in just thirteen days and the second to strike Canaday.

The officer arrested the suspect at the scene. No items were stolen during Thursday’s break-in.

The suspect, who was not named by police, will be charged with the three most recent burglaries — both of the incidents targeting Canaday Hall and an additional incident which took place at Matthews Hall on March 2.

Catalano wrote in an email to The Crimson that the individual is also a suspect in the earliest two burglaries, which occurred in Mower Hall and Wigglesworth Hall and are under “open and active” investigation.

Erica S. Choe ’25, a freshman in Wigglesworth, said she is relieved that a suspect has been apprehended but added she was “surprised” the burglar was able to carry out so many break-ins before being caught.

“I hope it's just one person who’s behind it,” Choe said.

—Staff writer Sarah Girma can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @SarahGirma_.

—Staff writer Brandon L. Kingdollar can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @newskingdollar.