Time-Wary Intruder Strikes Quad

The Quad was hit with a pair of attempted break-ins early Wednesday morning, said Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) spokesperson Steven G. Catalano.

A gloved hand and a conspicuous concern for punctuality apparently marked both incidents.

A Dane Hall resident observed moving window shades at around 3:35 a.m.

An unknown person then opened the student’s window screen and asked the resident the time, Catalano said, after which the resident left the room and immediately called HUPD.

According to Catalano, about 15 minutes after the initial incident, a Jordan Hall North resident heard someone open a room window. The resident saw a gloved hand reach into the room, and that person asked the victim the time.

The suspect pulled the hand away from the window and the victim called HUPD immediately.

No one has been arrested in connection with the incidents, and Catalano said an investigation is ongoing.

Catalano called on students to look out for suspicious behavior.

“We don’t want to be in the position to tell people, especially with the hot weather, not to leave windows open,” he said.

“But we need people to be super-vigilant when they have their windows open and to call the HUPD immediately if they see anything suspicious,” he said.

Last Sunday, an unidentified individual attempted to enter a Pforzheimer House suite twice, leaving pry marks on the door.

In that case, the suspect also asked one of the residents what time it was.

Catalano said he is “pretty confident” Wednesday’s incidents are connected, but he said it remains unclear whether they are related to last week’s intrusion.

—JENIFER L. STEINHARDT