MIT Campus Police have brought charges against five students in 3rd District Court, Cambridge, in connection with an attempted theft of MIT computer equipment May 21.
Chief Anne P. Glavin said police were called when a Physical Plant employee saw unusual activity behind an MIT building on Memorial Drive about 3:30am on May 21. The employee radioed his dispatcher, who in turn connected the call to the Campus Police.
Sgt. Janet Popp and Officer Anthony R. Rosanio, the first officers at the scene, said they saw two people with computer equipment emerge from the basement of Building E52, the Sloan School. The pair dropped the equipment and ran when they saw the police, the officers reported. One was caught almost immediately.
John K. Dorton Santiago of Senior House and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, was arraigned later on May 21. He was charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony; possession of burglarious tools; and wanton destruction of property worth more than $250. He was released in personal recognizance for a hearing Aug. 25.
The same charges were brought last week against Christopher B. Council, Senior House, Salt Lake City, Utah (who was not registered during the spring term, but has lived at Senior House); Jose E. Ledesma, Senior House, Santurce, P.R.; Christopher Brent Anderson, Edgerton House, Pittsfield, Mass.; and John D. MacKenzie, McGregor, Rockledge, Fla. They will be arraigned June 22.
One of the five students was scheduled to graduate May 28, but he did not receive a degree.
Chief Glavin estimated the value of the recovered equipment, taken from a computer center in the basement of Building E52, at $20,000.
A version of this article appeared in the June 2, 1993 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 37, Number 35).
