Public Safety Alert: Backpack Theft Reported in OSF Library

Public Safety would like to alert the University of St. Thomas community of a theft in O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library.

At approximately 2:03 p.m. Thursday, May 15, a UST student reported his unattended backpack was stolen from a study table on the first floor of the library, near Coffee Bene. The student reported he stepped away from his bag to use the restroom. He returned a few minutes later and it was gone. The bag was a dark blue Jansport backpack, containing a laptop and textbooks.

Through investigation, Public Safety identified three suspects in this incident.

  • Suspect #1 is described as a black male, with a thin build, wearing a possibly light blue shirt, light brown pants, possibly with a camo style pattern, brown shoes and a dark cap. This suspect entered the library wearing a red backpack and left wearing the student’s backpack.
  • Suspect #2 is described as a black male, with a thin build, short black hair, and a mustache and beard, wearing a dark colored zipped up hooded sweatshirt, and grayish pants or jeans. This suspect left wearing the red backpack.
  • Suspect #3 is described as a black male, with a thin build, short, but thicker, black hair, wearing a dark gray or charcoal zipped up hooded sweatshirt with a white zipper and white draw strings, black pants and dark shoes.

It should be noted the suspects entered the library and left with the student’s backpack all within approximately 60 seconds.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s May 15 Alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

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