A 16-year-old male was caught while attempting to steal a backpack from the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house at approximately 3 a.m. Sunday.
City of Charlottesville spokesperson Ric Barrick said police apprehended the juvenile early Sunday morning on Madison Lane. The identity of the male cannot be released at this time, Barrick said.
The young man was spotted trying to leave the house, located at 150 Madison Lane, with a backpack in hand, according to Barrick. Upon seeing the him, a group of SPE brothers pursued him. In the course of the chase, the young man reportedly exited the building by "jumping out of a second story window," Barrick said.
Unharmed, he continued running through neighborhood streets until he was "apprehended ... by the brothers," according to SPE President Ben Fendler. He was then detained by a group of SPE members until the police arrived.
Once apprehended by the police, the suspect was found to be in possession of "some cash, a camera and the book bag," according to Barrick. It has not yet been determined whether the money and camera were stolen.
The suspect immediately handed over the backpack and was "very compliant," Fendler said.
Following police questioning, the young man was turned over to his mother, Barrick said.
Fendler said the fraternity has not yet decided whether to press charges, though the brothers do not want to send the message to the Charlottesville community that this type of behavior is acceptable.
According to Aaron Laushway, associate dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, the situation was handled in the best way possible.
"The students acted properly and in cooperation with the local police," Laushway said.
While this incident was quickly resolved, its situation leaves the door open to issues of security in the future. The suspect is believed to have entered the house towards the end of the evening, a time when fewer people were present and security was not as strong, Laushway said.
"Overall, this [incident] emphasizes the need to always be safe," he added.
Safety and security is a constant challenge many Greek organizations face, according to Fendler.
"With incidents like this, 20 or 200 people in the house, even with the best security possible, it's still possible for people to get in," Fendler said."There should be changes. There is always better security; always one more thing you could do"
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