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Columbia

Timely warning for burglary at 150 Claremont Avenue

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Under Investigation

Columbia Public Safety issued Clery Crime Alert 2025-W16.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Columbia University
Private R1 · NY
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~33,000 studentsColumbia Public Safety Clery Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how Columbia says it will use Emergency Notification System: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim2170 chars
Clery Crime Alert Burglary On Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m. a Burglary occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus. A video review shows an individual randomly pressing the intercom in an attempt to gain entry. Once inside of the building, the individual removed one package. The individual was last seen entering the housing complex at 3170 Broadway. The incident was reported to Columbia University Public Safety on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 6:27 p.m. If you have any additional information about this incident, please contact Public Safety at 212-854-2797. The same individual committed a similar crime on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 8:21 a.m. at 414 West 120th Street at the Morningside Campus. The individual is male presenting and appears to have a dark complexion and a beard. They were wearing a green and black hooded jacket with white lettering on the sleeves, black pants, and black and red sneakers with white soles. They were carrying a colorful backpack with cartoon characters on it and holding a dark-patterned umbrella. Safety Tips Do not buzz people into a building unless you know who they are and what they are doing. Please try to retrieve your package in a timely manner. Do not allow people to "piggyback" into a building with you. If someone is “piggybacking” into a building and you do not feel safe stopping them, please call Public Safety at 212 854-2797 as soon as you are able to. Please report any broken doors, locks, or entrances to your building super as soon as possible. Disclaimer: Clery Crime Alerts (Timely Warning Notifications) are distributed to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Columbia University is required to alert the campus community when certain crimes occur in our Clery Act defined campuses that represent a serious or continuous threat to the community. To see this and other Clery Crime Alerts, please visit our Public Safety website. For more information about Columbia University’s Clery Act compliance efforts, please contact the Department’s Clery Act Compliance Director, Roberto A. Pineda Sanchez at rp3240@columbia.edu.
Verify this quote
Columbia Public Safety Clery Crime Alert PDF (2025-W16)publicsafety.columbia.edufind archived copies
PDF text layer ligatures normalized to ASCII, matching W06 capture practice. sha256 b0faaf0b716f4edf09628b0bda7c62ea8c065404f65e30538bbaf8e51b7f0667. Dual-fetch PDF bytes as packaged.
Columbia Clery 2025-W16 flyer W16_Clery_Burglary_150Claremontave_2025-05-08.pdf.
Distinct incident from 2025-05-08-columbia-university-presidents-house-motor-vehicle-theft: burglary vs motor vehicle theft.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, SuperGrok Heavy 4.5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

Clery Crime Alert Burglary On Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m. a Burglary occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus. A video review shows an individual randomly pressing the intercom in an attempt to gain entry. Once inside of the building, the individual removed one package. The individual was last seen entering the housing complex at 3170 Broadway. The incident was reported to Columbia University Public Safety on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 6:27 p.m. If you have any additional information about this incident, please contact Public Safety at 212-854-2797. The same individual committed a similar crime on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 8:21 a.m. at 414 West 120th Street at the Morningside Campus. The individual is male presenting and appears to have a dark complexion and a beard. They were wearing a green and black hooded jacket with white lettering on the sleeves, black pants, and black and red sneakers with white soles. They were carrying a colorful backpack with cartoon characters on it and holding a dark-patterned umbrella. Safety Tips Do not buzz people into a building unless you know who they are and what they are doing. Please try to retrieve your package in a timely manner. Do not allow people to "piggyback" into a building with you. If someone is “piggybacking” into a building and you do not feel safe stopping them, please call Public Safety at 212 854-2797 as soon as you are able to. Please report any broken doors, locks, or entrances to your building super as soon as possible. Disclaimer: Clery Crime Alerts (Timely Warning Notifications) are distributed to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Columbia University is required to alert the campus community when certain crimes occur in our Clery Act defined campuses that represent a serious or continuous threat to the community. To see this and other Clery Crime Alerts, please visit our Public Safety website. For more information about Columbia University’s Clery Act compliance efforts, please contact the Department’s Clery Act Compliance Director, Roberto A. Pineda Sanchez at rp3240@columbia.edu.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads find Source present: the Clery Crime Alert header and Columbia University Public Safety identify the issuing authority.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Columbia University Public Safety is identified as the agency taking the report and receiving tips.
    2. present: The branded title "Clery Crime Alert" and Columbia University Public Safety name who is sending it.
    3. present: Clery Crime Alert and Columbia University Public Safety identify who is issuing the warning.
    4. present: The alert identifies Columbia University Public Safety and Columbia University as the source.
    5. present: "Clery Crime Alert" and "Columbia University Public Safety" identify the issuing authority.
    6. present: It opens as Clery Crime Alert and names Columbia University Public Safety as the contact authority.
    7. present: Clery Crime Alert and Columbia University Public Safety identify who is issuing the warning.
    8. present: The message uses the Clery Crime Alert label and names Columbia University Public Safety as the contact and reporting office.
    9. present: The message names Columbia University Public Safety as the reporting and contact authority.
    10. present: The Clery Crime Alert names Columbia University Public Safety as the agency that received the report and should be contacted.
    11. present: The Clery Crime Alert names Columbia University Public Safety as the agency that took the report and should be contacted.
    12. present: "Clery Crime Alert" and "Columbia University Public Safety" name the sending authority.
    13. present: Columbia University Public Safety is named as the reporting office, and Columbia University appears as the institution.
    14. present: Columbia University Public Safety is named as the contact agency and Columbia University as the alerting institution.
    15. present: It identifies Columbia University Public Safety and Columbia University as the source of the Clery Crime Alert.
    16. present: Columbia University Public Safety is named as the contact and reporting office, and Columbia University is the issuer.
    17. present: Clery Crime Alert and Columbia University Public Safety identify who is issuing the warning.
    18. present: Columbia University Public Safety is named as the agency for this Clery Crime Alert.
    19. present: Clery Crime Alert and Columbia University Public Safety name the sending authority.
    20. present: Columbia University Public Safety is named as the reporting and contact agency.
    21. present: The branded Clery Crime Alert header and Columbia University Public Safety identify the source.
    22. present: Clery Crime Alert and Columbia University Public Safety identify the issuing authority.
    23. present: Columbia University Public Safety is named, and Columbia University is identified as the Clery alerting institution.
    24. present: The heading "Clery Crime Alert" and "Columbia University Public Safety" identify who is issuing the warning.
    25. present: The "Clery Crime Alert" label and "Columbia University Public Safety" identify the source.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads find Hazard present because the heading and body name burglary, including removal of a package.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The heading and body name "Burglary" and describe removal of a package.
    2. present: It names "Burglary" as the specific threat and describes a package taken from the building.
    3. present: The alert names Burglary and describes removal of a package from the building.
    4. present: It names burglary as the specific threat, including a similar prior crime.
    5. present: The message names "Burglary" as the specific crime.
    6. present: It names Burglary and describes an individual entering and removing a package.
    7. present: The alert names Burglary as the crime.
    8. present: It specifies Burglary, with a package taken after the suspect gained entry.
    9. present: It names burglary as the specific threat, including package theft after entry.
    10. present: It names a Burglary in which an individual entered a building and removed one package.
    11. present: It names "Burglary" and describes an individual entering a building and removing a package.
    12. present: The alert specifies "Burglary" and describes a package taken after the suspect gained entry.
    13. present: The alert specifies Burglary, including removal of a package from inside the building.
    14. present: The heading and body name a Burglary as the specific threat.
    15. present: It names a specific threat: Burglary in which an individual removed one package.
    16. present: The alert names burglary as the specific crime, with a package taken from inside the building.
    17. present: The alert specifies Burglary as the threat.
    18. present: The alert names a burglary in which an individual removed a package from the building.
    19. present: The alert specifies Burglary as the threat.
    20. present: The heading and body name a Burglary, a specific crime threat.
    21. present: It names Burglary and describes an individual removing a package from the building.
    22. present: The heading and body name Burglary as the specific crime.
    23. present: The alert names Burglary as the specific threat.
    24. present: It names "Burglary" as the specific threat.
    25. present: The threat is named as "Burglary."
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads find Location present: the burglary is at 150 Claremont Avenue on the Morningside Campus.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The burglary is at 150 Claremont Avenue on the Morningside Campus.
    2. present: It occurred at "150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus," with the person last seen at 3170 Broadway.
    3. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus, with the person last seen at 3170 Broadway.
    4. present: The burglary occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus, with last seen at 3170 Broadway.
    5. present: It occurred at "150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus".
    6. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus, with further places on Broadway and West 120th Street.
    7. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus.
    8. present: It locates the crime at 150 Claremont Avenue on the Morningside Campus and notes a similar crime at 414 West 120th Street.
    9. present: The burglary occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus.
    10. present: It cites 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus, with last seen at 3170 Broadway and a similar crime at 414 West 120th Street.
    11. present: It occurred at "150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus", with a last sighting at 3170 Broadway.
    12. present: It locates the crime at "150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus" and notes 3170 Broadway.
    13. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus.
    14. present: It locates the burglary at 150 Claremont Avenue on the Morningside Campus, with the suspect last seen at 3170 Broadway.
    15. present: It locates the burglary at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus.
    16. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue on the Morningside Campus, with the person last seen at 3170 Broadway.
    17. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus.
    18. present: The burglary is at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus, and the person was last seen at 3170 Broadway.
    19. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus.
    20. present: It places the burglary at 150 Claremont Avenue on the Morningside Campus.
    21. present: The burglary is at 150 Claremont Avenue on the Morningside Campus, with the suspect last seen at 3170 Broadway.
    22. present: It occurred at 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus, with a later sighting at 3170 Broadway.
    23. present: It cites 150 Claremont Avenue at the Morningside Campus and 414 West 120th Street for a related crime.
    24. present: The burglary occurred at "150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus," with a later sighting at 3170 Broadway.
    25. present: It occurred at "150 Claremont Avenue, at the Morningside Campus."
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads find Guidance present: recipients are told not to buzz strangers, not to allow piggybacking, to retrieve packages promptly, and to report broken doors.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Recipients are told not to buzz strangers in, retrieve packages promptly, refuse piggybacking, and report broken doors.
    2. present: Safety tips instruct not buzzing unknown people, not allowing piggybacking, retrieving packages, and reporting broken doors.
    3. present: Safety tips tell recipients not to buzz strangers in, not to allow piggybacking, to get packages promptly, and to report broken doors.
    4. present: It instructs not to buzz in unknown people, not to allow piggybacking, and to call Public Safety if stopping someone feels unsafe.
    5. present: Safety tips tell readers not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken doors.
    6. present: Readers are told not to buzz strangers, not to allow piggybacking, retrieve packages promptly, and report broken doors.
    7. present: Recipients are told not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken doors.
    8. present: Readers are told not to buzz strangers in, retrieve packages promptly, refuse piggybacking, and report broken doors or locks.
    9. present: Readers are told not to buzz strangers in, not to allow piggybacking, and to call Public Safety if they feel unsafe.
    10. present: Safety tips tell recipients not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken doors or locks.
    11. present: Safety tips tell people not to buzz strangers in, not to allow piggybacking, and to call Public Safety if they feel unsafe.
    12. present: Safety tips tell recipients not to buzz unknown people, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken locks.
    13. present: Tips instruct not to buzz unknown people, not to allow piggybacking, to retrieve packages promptly, and to report broken locks.
    14. present: Safety tips tell readers not to buzz unknown people, not to allow piggybacking, to retrieve packages, and to report broken doors.
    15. present: Safety tips instruct not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, to retrieve packages, and to report broken doors.
    16. present: Safety tips instruct not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken doors or locks.
    17. present: Readers are told not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken locks.
    18. present: It instructs not to buzz unknown people, not to allow piggybacking, to collect packages promptly, and to report broken doors or locks.
    19. present: Tips tell people not to buzz strangers, not to let others piggyback, and to call Public Safety if they feel unsafe.
    20. present: Safety tips tell readers not to buzz strangers in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken doors or locks.
    21. present: Recipients are told not to buzz unknown people, not to allow piggybacking, retrieve packages, and report broken doors or locks.
    22. present: Safety tips instruct not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken locks.
    23. present: Readers are told not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, and to report broken doors or locks.
    24. present: Readers are told not to buzz unknown people in, not to allow piggybacking, to retrieve packages promptly, and to report broken doors or locks.
    25. present: Recipients are told not to buzz unknown people, not to allow piggybacking, to retrieve packages promptly, and to report broken doors.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads find Time present via Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It occurred on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    2. present: It states "Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m." and other incident times.
    3. present: It states Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., plus a 6:27 p.m. report time.
    4. present: It states Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., plus a 6:27 p.m. report time.
    5. present: It gives "Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m."
    6. present: It states Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., plus other dated times.
    7. present: The burglary occurred Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    8. present: The burglary is dated Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., with a 6:27 p.m. report time.
    9. present: It states Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., plus other dated times.
    10. present: It times the burglary on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., and a similar crime on May 1 at 8:21 a.m.
    11. present: It timestamps the burglary "Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m."
    12. present: It states "Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m." and other dated clock times.
    13. present: The burglary is timed Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    14. present: It timestamps the burglary as Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., plus a related May 1 time.
    15. present: It states Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., plus a 6:27 p.m. report time.
    16. present: It timestamps the burglary as Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    17. present: The burglary is timed as Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    18. present: The incident is set Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., with a 6:27 p.m. report time.
    19. present: It gives Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    20. present: It timestamps the burglary on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    21. present: The incident is timed as Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    22. present: It gives Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m.
    23. present: It states Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., with a 6:27 p.m. report time.
    24. present: It states "Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m." and a 6:27 p.m. report time.
    25. present: The burglary is timed "On Thursday, May 8, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m."
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads find Impact absent: package removal restates the burglary and does not state injury, danger, or other consequences.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: There is no statement of injury, danger, or other consequences beyond the burglary itself.
    2. absent: Taking a package describes the burglary and does not convey consequence or severity.
    3. absent: No consequence or severity beyond the named burglary and package theft is conveyed.
    4. absent: Package theft is described with no language about injury, danger, or other consequences.
    5. absent: One package was removed, but no consequence or severity beyond the burglary itself is stated.
    6. absent: No consequence or severity beyond naming burglary and package removal is conveyed.
    7. absent: Removal of a package is described with no stated injury, danger, or other consequence.
    8. absent: Taking a package is described without stating harm, danger, or severity beyond the burglary.
    9. absent: The text describes package removal but does not state injury, danger, or other severity.
    10. absent: Package theft is described without any statement of danger, injury, or how serious the hazard could be.
    11. absent: Package removal is described without any stated consequence or severity such as danger or injury.
    12. absent: No consequence or severity language appears beyond the burglary and the stolen package.
    13. absent: Taking a package restates the burglary and no consequence or severity language is given.
    14. absent: Removing one package recounts the crime but does not state potential consequences or severity.
    15. absent: Taking a package restates the burglary and does not convey consequence or severity beyond the hazard name.
    16. absent: Package theft is described, but the text does not state what the crime could do or how severe it is.
    17. absent: Taking a package is described, but no injury, danger, or other consequence language appears.
    18. absent: Package removal is the burglary event and no consequence or severity language is added.
    19. absent: Removing a package is the burglary outcome, not a statement of harm or severity.
    20. absent: Removal of a package restates the burglary and does not describe further harm or severity.
    21. absent: Package theft is described without language about injury, danger, or other consequences of the hazard.
    22. absent: Taking a package restates the burglary and does not convey injury, danger, or other impact.
    23. absent: Removing a package describes the burglary and no injury, danger, or severity is stated.
    24. absent: Removing a package restates the burglary, without language about injury, danger, or other consequences beyond the theft.
    25. absent: Package removal is described without stating danger, injury, or other consequences.

Coded by SuperGrok Heavy 4.5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

Columbia Public Safety posts Clery Crime Alerts as PDFs. Official product: the 2025-W16 warning.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official Clery Crime Alert PDF recovered from the Public Safety files host.
Outcome
Public Safety seeking tips at 212-854-2797.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    Columbia Public Safety Clery Crime Alert PDF (2025-W16)
    publicsafety.columbia.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Columbia University: Timely warning for burglary at 150 Claremont Avenue." Incident of May 8, 2025. Added September 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/columbia-university-150-claremont-burglary-2025-05-08/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
private-r1new-yorkcolumbiaivycleryburglaryUnder Investigation
Added September 2026Updated September 2026Via ingestion