Student Robbed Through Screen In Wigglesworth

Two armed robbers identifying themselves as undergraduates approached the window of a first floor room in Wigglesworth D entry around 4:30 a.m. yesterday and took money from a resident who was up studying, according to the Harvard University Police Department.

Police reports describe the first suspect as a 5'9" Hispanic male in his late teens or early 20s, wearing an Adidas baseball cap and a black hood. The second suspect is described as a 5'11" white male of about the same age, also wearing an Adidas baseball cap.

According to the victim, who asked to remain anonymous, he was sitting at his desk in the common room facing Mass. Ave. when the thieves knocked on the window next to him. His roommates were asleep in the bedrooms.

The resident raised the window a little bit to speak to the suspects. Identifying themselves as undergraduates living in Lowell House, the Hispanic male requested $5 and said they would return the money in a few minutes.

"I believed them," the victim said, adding that he gave them the amount they requested, passing it through a hole in the window screen.

About three to four minutes later, the suspects did return, but this time the Hispanic male asked for more money, according to the victim. When he told them he didn't have anymore, they left, he said.

About two minutes later, they returned and the resident again opened the window slightly.

According to the victim, the white male produced a knife and threatened he had a gun. The suspect sliced through the screen and demanded all of the resident's money as well as a laptop computer which was in plain view.

The victim tried to close the window, but the suspect reached in and held it open.

According to the victim, when he went to his bedroom to gather more money the white male said, "You'd better not call the police."

The resident obtained four more dollars from his bedroom and gave it to them, he said. The white male continued to pressure him for more money, and the resident asked how much they wanted. The two men demanded $45 to $50, he said.

According to the resident, the Hispanic male then convinced the white male "to forget about it."

The suspects ordered the victim to sit down and turn around, so he crouched on the floor behind the corner of a desk, facing away from them. When he stood up, they were gone, he said.

Two of the other three residents of the room, who also asked to remain anonymous, said they had been awakened during the incident but were too dazed to react. The other roommate said he slept through it.

"The sound of [the victim's] voice when he was talking to [the suspects] sent chills down my spine," one of the roommates said last night. The other roommate who was awake during the incident said the victim's voice was "so strange I couldn't recognize it."

After the two suspects left, the roommates called the Harvard police. Within two minutes, an officer arrived and talked to the residents. Assistant Dean of Freshman Eleanor A. Sparagana also came over immediately after the incident, the victim said.

According to the victim, Assistant Dean of Freshman David B. Fithian also called him yesterday to offer support. The student met with his proctor last night.

"I'm still a little in shock," he said, but added that he went on with his normal schedule yesterday.

Following Leads

Harvard University police last night said they have some leads in the case and are taking it very seriously.

According to Chief Francis D. "Bud" Riley, Harvard University police are also working with the Cambridge police on the case.

Riley said the officer in charge of the case is working with the Freshman Dean's Office to inform students, faculty and staff of the incident. They also plan to develop a safety awareness program for campus.

The victim and Riley agree that undergraduates should take precautions against robberies.

"The fact that the shades were open might have made it easier for this to happen," the victim said, adding that he will keep them down after dusk from now on.

In addition, the victim said students should always keep the latches on their windows locked so that the windows cannot be opened wide enough for someone to fit through.

"The latches kept [the suspects] out," he said. "They tried to open the window."

"I view 4:30 in the morning as an unusual hour for somebody to be banging on the window," Riley added. "That should be a signal to call the police and have someone check on what [the person outside the window is] doing.

"The sound of [the victim's] voice when he was talking to [the suspects] sent chills down my spine," one of the roommates said last night. The other roommate who was awake during the incident said the victim's voice was "so strange I couldn't recognize it."

After the two suspects left, the roommates called the Harvard police. Within two minutes, an officer arrived and talked to the residents. Assistant Dean of Freshman Eleanor A. Sparagana also came over immediately after the incident, the victim said.

According to the victim, Assistant Dean of Freshman David B. Fithian also called him yesterday to offer support. The student met with his proctor last night.

"I'm still a little in shock," he said, but added that he went on with his normal schedule yesterday.

Following Leads

Harvard University police last night said they have some leads in the case and are taking it very seriously.

According to Chief Francis D. "Bud" Riley, Harvard University police are also working with the Cambridge police on the case.

Riley said the officer in charge of the case is working with the Freshman Dean's Office to inform students, faculty and staff of the incident. They also plan to develop a safety awareness program for campus.

The victim and Riley agree that undergraduates should take precautions against robberies.

"The fact that the shades were open might have made it easier for this to happen," the victim said, adding that he will keep them down after dusk from now on.

In addition, the victim said students should always keep the latches on their windows locked so that the windows cannot be opened wide enough for someone to fit through.

"The latches kept [the suspects] out," he said. "They tried to open the window."

"I view 4:30 in the morning as an unusual hour for somebody to be banging on the window," Riley added. "That should be a signal to call the police and have someone check on what [the person outside the window is] doing.