In yet another incident contributing to the recent spate of crime, between $8,000 and $12,000 dollars of disc jockey, stereo and karaoke equipment was stolen late last week from the Collis Center's Poison Ivy nightclub. Hanover Police and Safety and Security officers continue to follow up leads in both this case and Saturday's incident in which an unknown attacker assaulted a Dartmouth student along Tuck Mall.
The theft, by assistant director of the Collis Center Patrick Connelly's estimates, occurred between the departure of students attending Thursday Salsa Night around 10 or 11 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, when the next scheduled student group entered the area and reported the crime.
Poison Ivy lost roughly 75 percent of its equipment in the robbery.
The Hanover Police Department and Safety and Security appeared on the scene shortly thereafter. According to Connelly, officials from the department have been calling local stores to see if people are trying to return the stolen items. Authorities also questioned staff members to construct a timeline of events, Connelly and student manager Robert Baca '04 said.
At times when no group is using the space, student managers generally keep Poison Ivy locked up and turn off the area's lights. However, they do allow certain disc jockeys to use the space to practice during unscheduled hours.
Police seemed suspicious of an unknown individual practicing during Baca's midnight-to-3 a.m. shift on Friday, Baca said, describing the person as a white male. Though Baca did not recognize this person, he did not feel suspicious at the time because the individual seemed familiar with the equipment.
Hanover Police Chief Nick Giaccone said, however, that there are no suspects.
Janitorial staff members also unlock Poison Ivy at various times. Connelly raised the possibility that a culprit had sneaked in during one of these periods.
Employees expressed shock at the crime; Baca said that upon hearing the news, he felt "so sad."
"The entire staff was upset and disappointed," Connelly said.
Town Police and Safety and Security officers also continue to investigate the assault of a Dartmouth student that occurred early Saturday morning, though Hanover Police Chief Nick Giaccone said there were no new developments as of yesterday. No suspects have yet been identified in the case.
Richard Gavell, Safety and Security investigator, said that his organization had posted several "crime alert" messages across campus late Sunday night to disseminate information about the attack and to enhance general safety, though he said the messages did not necessarily indicate a continuing threat to community members. Safety and Security personnel are assisting the police in the investigation of the case, he said.
