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MIT

Burglary at Burton Connor

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MAburglarytimely warninghigh confidence
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Under Investigation

MIT Police issued a crime alert / timely warning on or about 2018-05-29. Full text is preserved from the official MIT Police Crime Alerts archive.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Private R1 · MA
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~12,000 studentsMIT Police Timely Warnings
Official alert policy
Read when and how MIT says it will use MIT Alert: 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 verbatim2445 chars
On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM, the MIT Police responded to Burton Connor residence hall for a call concerning an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled. Reporting party described the suspect as: very tall male, black, between the ages of 30 and 40, with a buzzed haircut and a clean-shaven face. He wore a black Polo-style shirt and dark pants and was carrying a neon blue backpack. The Reporting Party, who resides in an upper floor of Burton Connor residence hall, states she left her dorm room unlocked earlier this evening and went to another floor in the dorm for a short time. When she got back to her suite, there was an unknown male in her suite The unknown male was in another dorm room in her suite, which had been vacated by a departed student. When the reporting party went back into her dorm room, she discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen. MIT Police responded and conducted a search throughout the dorm, but did not find anyone matching the suspect's description. Suggestions While victims of crimes are never to blame for criminal activity, there are some precautions that can be taken. In order to protect yourself and your belongings from theft and/or facilitate the recovery of your stolen property, MIT Police encourage you to follow these tips: - Always lock your doors and windows. - Report all tailgaters, report suspicious people/activity. - See Something - Say Something: Immediately notify the MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone if you believe a crime is occurring, has occurred, or is about to occur. - Assure that door and window locks are in good working order. - Don't prop doors open. - Document serial numbers of your electronics and take pictures of your valuables. Keep this in a safe place to provide to the police in the event you are burglarized. - Register your laptop computer. Laptop tagging is now free for the MIT community, and is offered at the IS&T Service Desk in the Atlas Center at E17-106. The MIT Police want to remind the MIT community that we are located in an urban setting and share many of the crime and safety issues that exist in any city. The MIT Police are investigating this crime and request the assistance from the MIT community. If you wish to leave an anonymous tip please call 617-258-TIPS (8-8477). Issued by Sgt. Andrew Turco MIT Police Department 617-253-1212
Verify this quote
MIT Police Crime Alerts & Timely Warningspolice.mit.edufind archived copies
Transcribed from official police.mit.edu crime-alert page structured fields (Incident, Suspect, Summary, Suggestions, Issued by).
Page recovered live from MIT Police Crime Alerts archive.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude Opus 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.

On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM, the MIT Police responded to Burton Connor residence hall for a call concerning an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled. Reporting party described the suspect as: very tall male, black, between the ages of 30 and 40, with a buzzed haircut and a clean-shaven face. He wore a black Polo-style shirt and dark pants and was carrying a neon blue backpack. The Reporting Party, who resides in an upper floor of Burton Connor residence hall, states she left her dorm room unlocked earlier this evening and went to another floor in the dorm for a short time. When she got back to her suite, there was an unknown male in her suite The unknown male was in another dorm room in her suite, which had been vacated by a departed student. When the reporting party went back into her dorm room, she discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen. MIT Police responded and conducted a search throughout the dorm, but did not find anyone matching the suspect's description. Suggestions While victims of crimes are never to blame for criminal activity, there are some precautions that can be taken. In order to protect yourself and your belongings from theft and/or facilitate the recovery of your stolen property, MIT Police encourage you to follow these tips: - Always lock your doors and windows. - Report all tailgaters, report suspicious people/activity. - See Something - Say Something: Immediately notify the MIT Police at 617-253-1212 or 100 from any campus phone if you believe a crime is occurring, has occurred, or is about to occur. - Assure that door and window locks are in good working order. - Don't prop doors open. - Document serial numbers of your electronics and take pictures of your valuables. Keep this in a safe place to provide to the police in the event you are burglarized. - Register your laptop computer. Laptop tagging is now free for the MIT community, and is offered at the IS&T Service Desk in the Atlas Center at E17-106. The MIT Police want to remind the MIT community that we are located in an urban setting and share many of the crime and safety issues that exist in any city. The MIT Police are investigating this crime and request the assistance from the MIT community. If you wish to leave an anonymous tip please call 617-258-TIPS (8-8477). Issued by Sgt. Andrew Turco MIT Police Department 617-253-1212

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. "the MIT Police responded to Burton Connor residence hall" and the signature of Sgt. Andrew Turco name the responding and issuing agency.

    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: The MIT Police are named as responders and Sgt. Andrew Turco signs the notice.
    2. present: "the MIT Police responded" and the Sgt. Andrew Turco signature make the source explicit.
    3. present: "the MIT Police responded" and the notice is signed by Sgt. Andrew Turco of that department.
    4. present: The message is issued by Sgt. Andrew Turco of the MIT Police Department.
    5. present: Sgt. Andrew Turco of the MIT Police Department is identified at the end as issuer.
    6. present: The MIT Police responded and Sgt. Andrew Turco issued the warning.
    7. present: The sign off "Sgt. Andrew Turco, MIT Police Department" names the issuing police authority.
    8. present: "the MIT Police responded" and the notice is issued by "Sgt. Andrew Turco".
    9. present: The message ends with Sgt. Andrew Turco of the MIT Police Department, who responded to the call.
    10. present: MIT Police responded and Sgt. Andrew Turco is listed as the issuer.
    11. present: It opens with "the MIT Police responded" and closes with Sgt. Andrew Turco's department signature.
    12. present: MIT Police responded and Sgt. Andrew Turco issued the warning for the department.
    13. present: "the MIT Police responded" and the Sgt. Andrew Turco signature name the issuing department.
    14. present: Sgt. Andrew Turco and the MIT Police Department are identified as issuing it.
    15. present: "the MIT Police responded" and Sgt. Andrew Turco's sign-off establish authorship.
    16. present: Signed "Sgt. Andrew Turco, MIT Police Department", and MIT Police responded to the call.
    17. present: Issued by "Sgt. Andrew Turco, MIT Police Department", with MIT Police responding in the narrative.
    18. present: The MIT Police are named as responders and Sgt. Turco signs the notice.
    19. present: The MIT Police responded and Sgt. Andrew Turco is listed as issuer.
    20. present: "the MIT Police responded" and "Sgt. Andrew Turco, MIT Police Department" identify the sender.
    21. present: "the MIT Police responded" and "Issued by Sgt. Andrew Turco" establish the issuing agency.
    22. present: MIT Police responded and Sgt. Andrew Turco is listed as issuing the notice.
    23. present: It is issued by Sgt. Andrew Turco, MIT Police Department, who also responded.
    24. present: "MIT Police responded" and "Sgt. Andrew Turco, MIT Police Department" signs the message.
    25. present: "the MIT Police responded" and Sgt. Andrew Turco signs off as the sender.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The call concerned "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled", and the suspect was never located in the dorm search.

    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: It describes "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    2. present: An unknown male "had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled", a burglary in progress.
    3. present: It reports "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    4. present: It describes an unknown male who "allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    5. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    6. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    7. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    8. present: It describes an unknown male who "had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    9. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    10. present: An unknown male allegedly stealing property from a dorm room and fleeing is the named threat.
    11. present: It describes an unknown male who "had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    12. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    13. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled", a burglary.
    14. present: An unknown male "had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled", a burglary.
    15. present: It describes "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    16. present: It describes "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    17. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled", a theft by an intruder.
    18. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    19. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    20. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    21. present: It describes "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled."
    22. present: An unknown male "had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled", a burglary.
    23. present: An unknown male "had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled", a theft by an intruder.
    24. present: It concerns "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
    25. present: It reports "an unknown male who had allegedly stole property from a dorm room and fled".
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The location is "Burton Connor residence hall", narrowed to the reporting party's suite on "an upper floor" of that building.

    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 place is "Burton Connor residence hall", with the resident on an upper floor.
    2. present: The place is "Burton Connor residence hall", including the reporting party's upper-floor suite.
    3. present: The place is "Burton Connor residence hall", with the suite and floor described.
    4. present: The location is "Burton Connor residence hall", an upper floor suite.
    5. present: The location is "Burton Connor residence hall", including the resident's suite and floor.
    6. present: The setting is "Burton Connor residence hall" and an upper floor suite there.
    7. present: The scene is "Burton Connor residence hall", on an upper floor suite.
    8. present: It names "Burton Connor residence hall" and the reporting party's upper floor suite.
    9. present: The location is "Burton Connor residence hall" and the reporting party's upper floor suite.
    10. present: Burton Connor residence hall, an upper floor suite, is the stated location.
    11. present: The scene is "Burton Connor residence hall", where the reporting party resides on an upper floor.
    12. present: The site is Burton Connor residence hall, with the suite and floor described.
    13. present: It names "Burton Connor residence hall" and the reporting party's upper floor suite.
    14. present: Burton Connor residence hall is named as the responding location.
    15. present: The place is "Burton Connor residence hall", with an upper floor suite specified.
    16. present: It names "Burton Connor residence hall" and an upper floor suite as the scene.
    17. present: The building named is "Burton Connor residence hall", with the suite on an upper floor.
    18. present: The place is "Burton Connor residence hall", with an upper floor suite specified.
    19. present: The setting is "Burton Connor residence hall" and the reporting party's upper floor suite.
    20. present: The place named is "Burton Connor residence hall", including her suite on an upper floor.
    21. present: The location given is "Burton Connor residence hall" and the reporting party's suite.
    22. present: It names "Burton Connor residence hall" and the resident's upper floor suite.
    23. present: The response was to "Burton Connor residence hall", including the reporting party's suite.
    24. present: The location is "Burton Connor residence hall", on an upper floor suite.
    25. present: The place is "Burton Connor residence hall", including the reporting party's upper floor suite.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. It directs readers to lock doors and windows, not to prop doors, to report tailgaters, and to register laptops free at the IS&T Service Desk in E17-106.

    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: Readers are instructed to lock doors and windows, avoid propping doors, and report suspicious activity.
    2. present: It advises locking doors and windows, not propping doors, and reporting suspicious people to police.
    3. present: It tells readers to lock doors and windows and report suspicious people immediately.
    4. present: It instructs readers to lock doors, avoid propping them, and notify police immediately.
    5. present: Tips direct readers to lock doors and windows, report suspicious activity, and register laptops.
    6. present: It tells readers to lock doors, not prop them, and report tailgaters and suspicious activity.
    7. present: It instructs the community to lock doors, avoid propping them, and call police about suspicious people.
    8. present: Readers are told to lock doors and windows, not prop doors, and notify MIT Police of crimes.
    9. present: Readers are told to lock doors and windows, avoid propping doors and document serial numbers.
    10. present: Readers are told to lock doors and windows, avoid propping doors, and notify MIT Police immediately.
    11. present: Tips direct readers to lock doors, report tailgaters, and notify MIT Police immediately.
    12. present: Recipients are told to lock doors, not prop them, and report suspicious people.
    13. present: Advice includes locking doors and windows, not propping doors, and reporting suspicious activity to police.
    14. present: It tells readers always to lock doors, avoid propping them, and report suspicious activity.
    15. present: It advises locking doors and windows and immediately notifying MIT Police of crimes.
    16. present: Readers are instructed to lock doors and windows, not prop doors, and report suspicious activity.
    17. present: Readers are told to lock doors and windows, not prop doors, and report suspicious activity.
    18. present: Tips tell readers to lock doors and windows and report suspicious people and tailgaters.
    19. present: Recipients are told to lock doors, not prop them, and report suspicious people.
    20. present: The tips instruct readers to lock doors, not prop them, and notify police about crimes.
    21. present: Tips instruct readers to lock doors, avoid propping them, and report suspicious activity.
    22. present: Advice includes always locking doors, not propping them, and reporting suspicious people.
    23. present: Readers are told to always lock doors and windows and to report suspicious people.
    24. present: It advises locking doors, not propping them, and contacting MIT Police immediately.
    25. present: The tips list locking doors, not propping them, and notifying MIT Police immediately.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The response is timed "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM", with the room left unlocked earlier that evening.

    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: The response time is given as "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    2. present: The response time is "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM."
    3. present: The response time is "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    4. present: Given as "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    5. present: The response is placed "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    6. present: It is timed to "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    7. present: The response is timed "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    8. present: It dates the response "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    9. present: It specifies "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    10. present: Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM is given.
    11. present: It is timed "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    12. present: It is dated "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    13. present: The response is dated "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    14. present: The response is timed "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    15. present: "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM" gives date and hour.
    16. present: The response is dated "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    17. present: The response is timed "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    18. present: It opens "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    19. present: It gives "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM" for the response.
    20. present: "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM" states when officers responded.
    21. present: "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM" supplies date and time.
    22. present: Timed "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    23. present: The call came "On Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
    24. present: It gives "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM" for the police response.
    25. present: Dated "Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM".
  • Impactpresent16/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 16 of 25, meaningfully split. The majority points to the realized loss, "her laptop and class ring had been stolen", while nine reads held that a completed theft with no danger claim is not impact.

    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. present: Losses are specified: "she discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen".
    2. absent: A laptop and class ring were taken, but no danger or severity statement accompanies that loss.
    3. absent: The text conveys theft of a laptop and ring but no danger or severity claim.
    4. present: Loss is specified: "her laptop and class ring had been stolen" from the unlocked room.
    5. absent: A laptop and class ring were taken, but no danger or seriousness is asserted.
    6. present: Harm is stated: "she discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen".
    7. present: Harm is specified: "she discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen" by a stranger in her suite.
    8. present: It reports that "her laptop and class ring had been stolen", a concrete loss to the resident.
    9. present: It reports that "her laptop and class ring had been stolen", a concrete loss.
    10. present: A laptop and a class ring were stolen from an unlocked room, a stated personal loss.
    11. absent: A laptop and class ring were taken, but no harm, risk or severity is expressed.
    12. present: The student "discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen", a concrete loss.
    13. present: She "discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen", a stated consequence of the intrusion.
    14. absent: Despite the intruder, the text asserts no danger or possible harm to residents.
    15. present: Her "laptop and class ring had been stolen" while a stranger stood in her suite, a stated harm.
    16. present: It reports that "her laptop and class ring had been stolen", a stated loss.
    17. absent: A laptop and class ring were taken but no danger or severity is articulated.
    18. present: It states the harm: "her laptop and class ring had been stolen" from her room.
    19. present: Loss is stated: "she discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen".
    20. absent: Beyond a stolen laptop and ring, no danger or severity is conveyed to readers.
    21. absent: A laptop and class ring were taken, but no danger or severity statement is offered.
    22. present: The resident "discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen", a stated loss.
    23. absent: Losses are listed but no consequence, risk or seriousness statement is made.
    24. present: She "discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen", a stated personal loss.
    25. present: She "discovered her laptop and class ring had been stolen" and the suspect was never found.

Coded by Claude Opus 5

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

About this analysis
Context

Background

MIT Police publishes Clery timely warnings and crime alerts at police.mit.edu/crime-alert with full incident narrative, safety guidance, and issuer attribution. This entry is from residual archive recovery for Burglary at Burton Connor.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official MIT Police crime-alert page preserves complete timely-warning narrative text.
Outcome
MIT Police investigation status as stated in the official crime alert.
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
    Burglary at Burton Connor | MIT Police
    police.mit.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Burglary at Burton Connor." Incident of May 29, 2018. Added July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/mit-burglary-burton-connor-2018-05-29/

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

Tags
mitmassachusetts-institute-of-technologytimely-warningburglarycrime-alertUnder Investigation
Added July 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion