Suspect Arrested For Matthews Crime Spree

Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) captured the suspected 'Yard burglar' in a dramatic daytime arrest on Friday.

After resourceful investigative work by a Harvard security guard, HUPD arrested Andre Stuckey, 20, who they believe is responsible for a dozen break-ins over the last month.

"We have arrested the suspect we were looking for," HUPD spokesperson Peggy A. McNamara said.

Police hope that the arrest will end a month-long crime spree that has spread fear among first-years in the Yard and raised questions about Harvard's campus security.

The Take-Down

The arrest happened at 11:48 Friday morning, as students were on their way to lunch.

Harvard security guard Ernie Duardte was working an overtime shift in the basement of Weld Hall Friday morning when he found a stolen backpack in a downstairs bathroom.

Moments later, Julia H. Farago '03 walked in to report that her room had been burglarized. While Farago was sitting in the guards' office, Duardte noticed that one of the stolen IDs was being used to enter Hollis Hall. He tracked the suspect trying to gain entrance to Holworthy Hall, Matthews Hall and finally Weld Hall.

Duardte called HUPD and raced outside in pursuit.

"He was really excited," said Farago, who waited inside while the arrest happened.

HUPD's normally quick response time was even faster as extra HUPD units were in the Yard for a scheduled rally sponsored by the Living Wage Campaign.

Five units responded from around the Yard, including two officers working in Matthews.

HUPD officer Anthony Carvellos arrested Stuckey outside of Weld Hall without incident.

"He knew that we knew who he was, and that he was caught," McNamara said.

Stuckey, a 5-foot 10-inch, 160 pound, light-skinned black male with a shaved head, fit the description of the burglar that police have been seeking for weeks now. Stuckey gave police an address in Long Beach, Calif., but McNamara said she believes he may have been living in the Cambridge area for some time.

"This was an excellent arrest, and a good team effort between the officers and the security guards," she said.

A Final Night of Crime

The arrest followed a 12-hour crime spree that spanned the Yard. At least three suites in two dorms were robbed, as multiple Yard residents reported seeing the suspected burglar around the Yard Thursday night.

Two suites in Matthews Hall were burglarized, each for the second time, and a third suite in Weld Hall was robbed.

Matthews' resident Courtney M. Brown '03 and her roommates had their wallets stolen two weeks ago while they were sleeping.

Thursday night while they slept they had a number of items stolen, including their newly replaced Harvard IDs, two pairs of running shoes, a day planner and an Abercrombie & Fitch jacket.

The women say they were unaware that their door was unlocked.

Across the Yard in Weld, K. Eliza Harris '03 awoke Friday morning to find that her backpack had been stolen. It contained her study materials for a midterm that morning.

The suite has a sign on the back of their door that reads, "Lock the door. There have been a rash of burglaries lately. Do you want your things stolen?"

"It's amusing to think what [the burglar] thought as he left our room," said Kathy M. Bencowitz '03, Harris' roommate.

Bencowitz said she believes that the burglar turned off her alarm clock Friday morning, after stealing her wallet and her roommates' backpacks.

"He stole my life in a wallet," she said. Instead of going to a class Friday morning, Bencowitz canceled her debit card and opened a new bank account.

Hours later, when Stuckey was arrested, police allege that he had Bencowitz's debit card in his pocket.

Yard Reaction

Responses to the arrest were mostly positive among students, who were relieved that the burglar had finally been arrested.

In Matthews, an atmosphere of fear had spread over the last few weeks. Some students went to the bathroom in pairs, and kept their doors locked even while they were in the room.

Others, however, were less fearful. One suite--inhabited by several male varsity athletes--posted girls' names on their door in the hope of catching the prowler.

For the most part, residents were thankful that the crime wave is over.

"I'm just thrilled with HUPD," victim Jordan R. Berkow '03 said.

One Matthews resident, whose neighbor was robbed, said, "It's nice not to have him on my mind anymore."

Several students expressed concern that HUPD never hung up the composite sketch of the suspected burglar in the targeted dorms.

"If I'd seen him, I wouldn't have known it was him," said one of the original victims, Gerby K. Marks '03. "I could've passed him in the hallway."

The Next Step

Stuckey will face arraignment early this week. Police charged him with five counts of receiving stolen property less than $250, one count of using a stolen credit card, and one count of trespassing. Harvard police are also considering additional charges.

Police officials said Stuckey is wanted in other states for various crimes.

"We won't be seeing him again soon," said one HUPD officer. "He'll probably do some hard time."

"This was a great arrest. People can be a little more at ease," McNamara said, "at least until the next criminal comes along."