Lowell House Student Robbed; Officials May Tighten Security

Two men robbed a Lowell House resident on the second floor of his entry way Friday night, taking a wristwatch valued at $50 and $12 in cash.

The sophomore student, who requested that his name be withheld, said, "When I walked into the entry door there were two Blacks looking at the list of residents and they asked me about a name I didn't know."

"I went up the stairs and they followed. I was having some trouble getting my key to work when one of them said 'put your hands against the wall and spread your feet'," the student said.

He said he cooperated with the men's demands, adding that he did not know whether his assailants were armed.

The student said he immediately contacted Lowell house security officer, William Carroll. Harvard police officers arrived two minutes later, but could not find any suspects during a 20 minute search.

Carroll said, "There is a tremendous amount of traffic" through the main gate at Lowell. "Security is good but we have no real control over who enters the court-yard," he said.

Carroll said this robbery is the first such incident in his five years at Lowell House.

As a result of the incident, at least one Lowell House resident will propose to the House Committee that all entry doors be kept locked. Entry doors have been locked only occasionally this year, Christopher M. Jedrey, Allston Burr Senior Tutor in Lowell House, said yesterday, "The fact that it (the robbery) happened may mean that some action will be taken to increase security, possibly by locking the outer gate and issueing keys to residents."

The House Committee can only make proposals to the Harvard police, who are in charge of the security system, Jedrey added.

Jack Morse, captain of the Harvard police, was unavailable for comment yesterday about possible Lowell House security changes.