Eastern Michigan University police used surveillance tapes
and doorway entry records this month to quickly catch two
students whom officers believe are responsible for at least
five burglaries in the Phelps/Sellers residence hall complex.
Christopher Reid, of Detroit, and Anthony Colucci, of
Dearborn, a pair of 18-year-old EMU freshmen, were arraigned
Saturday, Nov. 7, at Washtenaw County Court. They were
each charged with two felony counts of breaking and entering,
along with one count each of receiving and concealing stolen
property. They are being held in the Washtenaw County Jail.
Based on the investigation, EMU Department of Public Safety
officers believe the two are responsible for four recent
burglaries in Phelps Hall and one in nearby Sellers Hall,
Lt. Bob Heighes said.
All of the Phelps Hall burglaries occurred on the first
floor, the same floor the two men lived on in separate
rooms, Heighes said.
The two were identified Nov. 6 by surveillance videos
that showed them leaving Phelps Hall earlier that morning
during the time a burglary had been reported in the hall,
police said.
Early morning entrance records kept at the hall verified
the two had entered and left the building during that time.
The two told the entryway guard they'd left their IDs in
their rooms, police reports said.
Later that day, EMU police arrested the two students at
their residence hall rooms. Police concluded the two also
were responsible for a Nov. 3 burglary in Phelps Hall,
as well as other similar burglaries in late October.
On Nov. 6, the two put stolen items into a suitcase
and loaded it into Colucci's car, which was parked near
the residence hall, police said.
Items taken that morning included two laptop computers
and their power cables, video games, a cell phone and an
i-Phone. The residents who reported the Nov. 6 burglary
said they were asleep in their unlocked room when the items
were taken, according to police.
Public safety officers went to a Dearborn pawn shop and
an area computer store, where they recovered some stolen
items, police reports said.
Those involved in the EMU investigation included officer
Shana Thompson, Community Relations Officer Candace Dorsey,
Det. Charles Mosher and Heighes.
EMU Police Chief Greg O'Dell and Heighes noted
that despite several timely warnings about such crimes
that were sent to all students and staff, too many students
are still failing to lock their residence hall doors. The
message is simple, but important: Don't leave your residence
hall room door unlocked, because doing so can invite theft.
Officers regularly visit campus residence halls and check
doors in a "Gotcha" program with housing staff that
attempts to educate students on the need to lock doors.
In each burglary, the thieves simply opened an unlocked
door and no force was used, police said.
The two students will be facing formal disciplinary action
under the Student Code of Conduct. Possible outcomes
for similar behavior, if found responsible, might result
in suspension or permanent dismissal from the university.
Reid's bond was set at 10 percent of $30,000, or $3,000.
Colucci's bond was 10 percent of $40,000, or $4,000.
A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 17.
