A Lawn resident's rocking chair was stolen this weekend, bringing up the total number of incidents involving chair theft this academic year to seven, Lawn resident Christine Devlin said.
"My chair happens to be amongst those that are missing," said Lawn resident Ben Cooper, former Honor Committee chair. "I left town this weekend, and when I came back Sunday evening, it was gone."
Cooper expressed concern that the thieves were not aware of the harm they caused by stealing his chair.
"I am assuming it is kids that are drunk, and they think facilities will replace [it]," he said.
Chairs must be replaced, Devlin said, but residents whose chairs are stolen must pay a $345 replacement fee at the end of the school year.
In the past, residents have found some of their chairs in various locations throughout Grounds, such as in the Amphitheater, and sometimes find them destroyed, Devlin added.
Lawn resident Brian Gavron's chair, for example, remains broken because it was "smashed against the wall between our doors," Devlin said.
Although residents have voiced concern to the University administration, Lawn resident Connor Sullivan said he and other residents remain wary of the possibility of thieves.
"There is a limited amount the University can do," he explained. "I admire the folks who try to stay dedicated to the community of trust, but it seems like this wasn't the year to do that."
Cooper noted that while there is a police and student presence on the Lawn, the area largely remains unoccupied during the early morning hours, when he believes the incidents may occur.
"I would say it is pretty easy to steal a rocking chair," Cooper said.
Sullivan noted that to deter theft, he puts his chair inside his room and locks it up.
"The reason I leave my chair out, is so when it's a nice day anyone can come sit on my chair and enjoy the Lawn," Cooper added. "It's just a shame, and in my mind, this is clearly a honor offense; they probably don't understand they are stealing from us."
When asked about the string of thefts affecting the Lawn community, Aaron Laushway, associate dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, called the incidents "senseless acts of disrespect" and said they "are not consistent with our University"
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