Campus Alert Archive
MIT

Burglary at Maseeh Hall

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MIT Police issued a crime alert / timely warning on or about 2018-02-15. 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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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 verbatim2345 chars
A dorm room on an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory was burglarized on February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM. The reporting party (resident) described the intruder as a white male, 5'7" tall, with short, brown hair and an angular face, wearing tan colored chinos with a blue button-down shirt. A resident of the Maseeh Hall dormitory reported that around 3:00 AM on February 11, 2018 on she left her dorm room briefly. When she returned from taking a shower there was an unknown male in her bed. Initially the unknown male would not wake up. By around 4:00 AM, the resident was able to wake the individual and get him to leave. After the intruder left, the resident discovered some electronic equipment was missing. Suggestions While victims of crime 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: - Report all tailgaters, do not prop doors open, and do not allow people to enter dormitories through doors other than the main entrance. - Report suspicious people/activity. - If you 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. - ALWAYS lock your doors and windows, even if you are only leaving for a few minutes. - Assure that door and window locks are in good working order. - 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 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 ANDREW J. TURCO Crime Prevention Sergeant MIT Police Department 301 Vassar Street (W89) Cambridge, MA 02139 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.

A dorm room on an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory was burglarized on February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM. The reporting party (resident) described the intruder as a white male, 5'7" tall, with short, brown hair and an angular face, wearing tan colored chinos with a blue button-down shirt. A resident of the Maseeh Hall dormitory reported that around 3:00 AM on February 11, 2018 on she left her dorm room briefly. When she returned from taking a shower there was an unknown male in her bed. Initially the unknown male would not wake up. By around 4:00 AM, the resident was able to wake the individual and get him to leave. After the intruder left, the resident discovered some electronic equipment was missing. Suggestions While victims of crime 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: - Report all tailgaters, do not prop doors open, and do not allow people to enter dormitories through doors other than the main entrance. - Report suspicious people/activity. - If you 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. - ALWAYS lock your doors and windows, even if you are only leaving for a few minutes. - Assure that door and window locks are in good working order. - 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 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 ANDREW J. TURCO Crime Prevention Sergeant MIT Police Department 301 Vassar Street (W89) Cambridge, MA 02139 617-253-1212

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25: the sign off reads "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department", with the 301 Vassar Street address.

    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: Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of the MIT Police Department is named as issuer.
    2. present: Signed by Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of the MIT Police Department.
    3. present: Signed "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    4. present: Issued by Andrew J. Turco, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department.
    5. present: Issued by Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of the MIT Police Department.
    6. present: Issued by "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    7. present: The notice is signed "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    8. present: The notice is issued by "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    9. present: Attribution is "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    10. present: MIT Police are named as investigators and Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco signs it.
    11. present: The MIT Police are named in the tips and Sergeant Andrew J. Turco signs the notice.
    12. present: Issued by Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of the MIT Police Department.
    13. present: The Issued by block lists ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department.
    14. present: Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of the MIT Police Department is named as issuer.
    15. present: The block from Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of MIT Police names the sender.
    16. present: Issued by "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    17. present: Signed "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department", identifying the sender.
    18. present: It is issued by "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    19. present: Signed by Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco, MIT Police Department.
    20. present: Issued by "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    21. present: The closing "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department" names the issuer.
    22. present: Issued by Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of the MIT Police Department.
    23. present: Crime Prevention Sergeant Andrew J. Turco of the MIT Police Department signs it.
    24. present: Issued by "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
    25. present: Signed by "ANDREW J. TURCO, Crime Prevention Sergeant, MIT Police Department".
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25: a dorm room "was burglarized" and the resident returned from a shower to find "an unknown male in her bed".

    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: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found inside the resident's bed.
    2. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" by an intruder who was found inside a resident's bed.
    3. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an unknown male intruder was found in the resident's bed.
    4. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an unknown male intruder was found inside a resident's bed.
    5. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" by an intruder found in a resident's bed, with electronics missing.
    6. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found in the resident's bed.
    7. present: An intruder entered a dorm room, was found in the resident's bed, and electronics went missing.
    8. present: It reports a dorm room "was burglarized" by an intruder found inside the resident's room.
    9. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found inside a resident's bed.
    10. present: An intruder found inside a resident's dorm room, with a burglary, is named specifically.
    11. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" by an intruder who was found inside a resident's room.
    12. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found inside the resident's bed.
    13. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found inside the resident's bed.
    14. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an unknown male intruder was found inside.
    15. present: It reports a dorm room burglary with an "intruder" found in a resident's bed.
    16. present: It reports a dorm room burglary with an intruder found inside the resident's bed.
    17. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an unknown male intruder was found in the resident's bed.
    18. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an unknown intruder was found inside the resident's bed.
    19. present: It reports a burglary with an intruder found inside a resident's dorm room and bed.
    20. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found asleep in a resident's bed.
    21. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an unknown male intruder was found inside the resident's room.
    22. present: An intruder entered a dorm room and was found in the resident's bed, plus a theft.
    23. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found in the resident's bed.
    24. present: It describes an intruder found in a resident's bed during a dorm room burglary.
    25. present: A dorm room "was burglarized" and an intruder was found inside a student's bed.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25: the text places the burglary in a dorm room "on an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".

    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: It identifies "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    2. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory."
    3. present: It specifies "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    4. present: The location is an upper floor of "the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    5. present: It places the incident in "the Maseeh Hall dormitory", on an upper floor.
    6. present: Location is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    7. present: It names "the Maseeh Hall dormitory", on an upper floor.
    8. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    9. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    10. present: Maseeh Hall dormitory, an upper floor room, is the stated place.
    11. present: It specifies "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    12. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    13. present: It names "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory" as the affected area.
    14. present: It places the crime in "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    15. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    16. present: It names "the Maseeh Hall dormitory", an upper floor dorm room.
    17. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    18. present: It names "the Maseeh Hall dormitory", an upper floor room.
    19. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    20. present: It names "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory" as the scene.
    21. present: It names "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory" as the scene.
    22. present: The room is on "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    23. present: The place is "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    24. present: It places the crime in "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
    25. present: It names "an upper floor of the Maseeh Hall dormitory".
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25: it instructs readers to "ALWAYS lock your doors and windows, even if you are only leaving for a few minutes", report tailgaters, and not prop doors open.

    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: Advice includes always locking doors and windows, not propping doors, and reporting suspicious people.
    2. present: It directs readers to lock doors even for a few minutes, report tailgaters, and call police.
    3. present: It directs readers to lock doors and windows always and to report tailgaters and suspicious people.
    4. present: It advises locking doors even briefly, not propping doors, and calling MIT Police at once.
    5. present: It tells readers to lock doors even briefly, not prop doors, and report suspicious people.
    6. present: It tells readers to lock doors and windows always, report tailgaters, and not prop doors.
    7. present: It tells readers to report tailgaters, never prop doors, and always lock doors and windows.
    8. present: It directs readers to report tailgaters, never prop doors, and always lock doors and windows.
    9. present: It tells readers to report tailgaters, never prop doors and always lock doors and windows.
    10. present: Readers are told never to prop doors, always lock doors and windows, and call MIT Police immediately.
    11. present: It directs readers to lock doors and windows even briefly and never to prop doors open.
    12. present: It tells readers to lock doors always, not prop doors, and report suspicious people.
    13. present: It tells readers to report tailgaters, never prop doors, and always lock doors and windows.
    14. present: Readers are told never to prop doors and "ALWAYS lock your doors and windows".
    15. present: It tells readers to lock doors always, not prop them, and report suspicious people.
    16. present: Readers are told to report tailgaters, not prop doors, and always lock doors and windows.
    17. present: Readers are told to report tailgaters, never prop doors, and lock doors even for a few minutes.
    18. present: It tells readers not to prop doors, to report tailgaters, and to always lock doors and windows.
    19. present: It tells readers to lock doors even briefly, not prop doors, and report suspicious people.
    20. present: Readers are told to lock doors always, not prop them, and report suspicious people.
    21. present: It instructs readers to lock doors and windows always and never to prop doors open.
    22. present: It directs readers to lock doors always, avoid propping them, and report tailgaters.
    23. present: It tells readers to lock doors even for a few minutes and to report tailgaters.
    24. present: It urges locking doors always, not propping doors, and calling MIT Police at 617-253-1212.
    25. present: It instructs residents to lock doors always, not prop doors and notify MIT Police immediately.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25: the burglary is dated "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM", with the intruder woken by around 4:00 AM.

    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: Times are given: "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    2. present: Timed to "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM", with a 3:00 AM detail.
    3. present: The hours are given: "on February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    4. present: It specifies February 11, 2018 "between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    5. present: It gives "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM" plus around 3:00 AM.
    6. present: Dated "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM" with a 3:00 AM detail.
    7. present: The incident is dated "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    8. present: It dates the crime "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    9. present: It specifies February 11, 2018 "between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    10. present: February 11, 2018 between 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM, with events around 3:00 and 4:00 AM, is given.
    11. present: The event is dated "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    12. present: The incident is dated "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    13. present: The event is dated "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    14. present: The window is "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    15. present: "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM" is precise.
    16. present: The time frame is "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    17. present: The event is dated "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    18. present: Times are specific: "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    19. present: It dates the incident "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    20. present: "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM" pins down the timing.
    21. present: "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM" is precise.
    22. present: Timed "on February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    23. present: Times are precise: February 11, 2018 "between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    24. present: It gives "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
    25. present: Times are given as "February 11, 2018 between the hours of 2:30 AM and 4:05 AM".
  • Impactpresent19/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 19 of 25: a stranger who "would not wake up" occupied her bed for about an hour and afterward "some electronic equipment was missing". Six reads wanted explicit danger language.

    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: Both a personal intrusion, a stranger in her bed, and missing electronic equipment are described.
    2. present: The personal danger is clear: a stranger was in the resident's bed and would not wake up, and equipment vanished.
    3. absent: Despite the intrusion, the text never states any danger or possible harm to the resident.
    4. present: The harm is a stranger in her bed who would not wake, plus "some electronic equipment was missing".
    5. absent: The unsettling intrusion is described, but no statement of danger or potential harm is made.
    6. present: Harm is clear: a stranger was in her bed and afterwards "some electronic equipment was missing".
    7. present: The resident found a stranger in her bed and afterwards "discovered some electronic equipment was missing".
    8. present: A stranger was "in her bed" and afterwards "some electronic equipment was missing", real harm and loss.
    9. present: A stranger was in her bed and "the resident discovered some electronic equipment was missing".
    10. present: A woman returned to find a stranger in her bed who would not wake, and electronics were missing.
    11. present: A resident returned to find "an unknown male in her bed" who would not wake, implying serious personal danger.
    12. present: A stranger was in her bed for over an hour and "electronic equipment was missing" afterward.
    13. present: A stranger was in her bed and afterward "the resident discovered some electronic equipment was missing".
    14. present: A resident returned to find a stranger asleep "in her bed", implying serious personal danger.
    15. present: A stranger in her bed who would not wake, plus missing electronics, conveys real danger and loss.
    16. present: A stranger was in the resident's bed and "some electronic equipment was missing", a personal intrusion and loss.
    17. absent: Though unsettling, the text states no injury, danger, or level of seriousness.
    18. present: The harm is clear: a stranger was in her bed and "some electronic equipment was missing".
    19. present: The harm is clear: a stranger was in her bed and "electronic equipment was missing".
    20. absent: The intruder left when woken and no injury, threat, or severity is described.
    21. absent: Missing electronics are mentioned, but the text never states any danger or degree of seriousness.
    22. present: A stranger was in her bed and would not wake, and electronic equipment went missing.
    23. absent: A stranger in a student's bed is described factually, with no stated harm or seriousness.
    24. present: A stranger was in her bed and would not wake, and "electronic equipment was missing" afterward.
    25. present: A stranger was in her bed and would not wake, and "some electronic equipment was missing".

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 Maseeh Hall.
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 Maseeh Hall | MIT Police
    police.mit.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Burglary at Maseeh Hall." Incident of February 15, 2018. Added July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/mit-burglary-maseeh-hall-2018-02-15/

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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