This letter is being written with the hopes that it will make students aware that no one is safe from a burglary.

It is an unfortunate fact of college life that thieves work overtime during school breaks. Student’s homes are easy targets because the majority of them go home for the holidays, leaving an empty apartment or dorm room.

We experienced a break-in over Thanksgiving break. In the process of taking many of our personal belongings, the thief/s also managed to vandalize and destroy the rest of our house creating an enormous mess that we did not ask for but had to spend the day cleaning.

At this point we feel that this break-in involves more than the property stolen. Evidence collected indicates that the perpetrator is someone we know or are acquainted with. This makes it difficult for us not to suspect everyone.

From now on every time we leave for the weekend we will worry about our empty house, when we sleep we worry that someone will come into our house again to take anything they might have missed the first time.

Almost everyone has heard the safety tips on how to safeguard your house when you will be away. We followed those tips and someone managed to find their way into our house anyway. We learned the hard way that no one is exempt from a crime.

We also learned the hard way that the best way to protect what you consider to be valuable items is to have them insured. Take pictures of the items and save receipts. It may seem like a waste of time and money at the moment, but in the long run it will pay off.

It is unfortunate that a person can come into your house and take what is rightfully yours. By now our property is probably at some pawn shop in Chicago and there is a thief out there with a lot of cash thanks to our stuff. This experience has not only frightened us, but has also taught us an important lesson in trust.

Heather Anderson

Sarah Hunter-Huges

Deirdre O’Hare

Mike Russell

Seniors

NIU Students