Two Greenough Students Focus Of Theft Case

Two first-year students have been questioned by the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) regarding several thefts this spring from Greenough Hall, according to several dorm residents.

HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano said he could “neither confirm or deny” any details of the investigation since it is ongoing, but did say that HUPD has not made any arrests yet.

According to first-years living in Greenough, HUPD searched the rooms of Brian M. Wan ’05 and Michael D. Wang ’05 Monday morning and found items that other Greenough residents have reported missing over the past two months.

The residents, who wished to remain anonymous, said that Wan and Wang moved out of Greenough on Monday.

Neither could be reached for comment yesterday.

The investigation comes two weeks after Assistant Dean of Freshman Philip A. Bean sent an e-mail to Yard residents warning them about a string of thefts in Greenough.

One of the alleged victims, who requested anonymity, reported a stolen palm pilot about three weeks ago.

The following week, the victim received a phone call from Wang saying he believed that both of their bedrooms had been “ransacked.”

When the victim returned to his room, another PalmPilot, bought to replace the stolen one, was missing. Additionally, the victim said that although his laptop computer was locked to the desk, a password had been set so that he could not access his own computer files.

Wang, the victim said, reported that some of his own items had been stolen in the same incident.

The second alleged victim, who also said he wished to remain anonymous, reported a stolen laptop in March. While the victim declined to comment Monday, Greenough residents said the CD-ROM drive of the victim’s replacement laptop was also recently vandalized.

In addition, Greenough residents said that twice last week the lock to the second victim’s room was jammed—preventing his entry into the room. Police records show that police were called to investigate the vandalized lock on April 21 and again, three hours later, on the morning of April 22.

Wan’s and Wang’s proctors and several College administrators, including Bean, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 and Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley Nathans, declined to comment on the case.

Several Greenough residents said that Wan and Wang were very good friends.

One resident said he was “shocked” by the situation.

“How could it be that someone doesn’t follow the basic tenets of respecting other people’s rights and property?” he said.

Wan, a member of the Harvard tennis team, is from Woodbury, N.Y. and Wang is from Orange, Calif.

—Staff writer Jenifer L. Steinhardt can be reached at steinhar@fas.harvard.edu.