PENNSYLVANIA COMPUTER STOLEN FROM SCOTT ARBORETUM OFFICE AT SCHOOL The Phoenix Online - Thief strikes Scott Arboretum office


A computer and other items were stolen from the Scott Arboretum between the night of Jan. 17 and the morning of Jan. 18.

Besides the computer, a small amount of cash and the keys to the Arboretum’s pick-up truck were taken.

A desk drawer on the first-floor also appeared to have been searched.

The intruder reportedly broke into the building through a window.

“The thief tried to gain access to the upstairs, but failed,” said Jeff Jabco, director of grounds and coordinator of horticulture at the Arboretum.

A broken handle of the door leading upstairs indicated that the thief had attempted to enter the Arboretum’s upper-level office.

On the day of the theft, arboretum staff members followed usual safety procedures regarding locking and securing the building.

“The normal safety precautions were taken,” Jabco said. “Computers were locked down, and there were latches on windows.”

Uma Nagendra ’09, an arboretum employee, confirmed that the personnel had been very prudent in supervising access to both the building itself and the Arboretum’s property.

“They locked up promptly at 4:30,” Nagendra said. “They had locks on the cellar where a lot of equipment is kept, and cabinets were also locked.”

Thus far, neither the Arboretum staff nor Public Safety has any reliable leads as to the culprit.

“There’s not much Public Safety can do because there’s not much of a trail, but they have been very helpful,” Jabco said.

While no connection has been made between this incident and the recent Wharton and McCabe thefts, Public Safety officers have not ruled out a link between the two crimes.

Jabco predicts that, as a consequence of the theft, the Arboretum staff will necessarily have to be more alert.

“We will be paying more attention, and we will continue to make sure that everything is locked up and checked by Public Safety,” Jabco said. “Desk drawers and file cabinets will also be checked to make sure that they’re locked.”

Another policy change will be an increased monitoring of people’s comings and goings through the Arboretum, Nagendra said.

“Before this happened, some of our equipment was out in the open,” Nagendra said. “We may become more careful about locking things up now.”

In response to the theft, some options have been proposed to tighten security, including possibly wiring the building.

Zach Rhinehart ’09, an Arboretum employee, expressed his disappointment at the fact that anyone would target the Arboretum.

“The Arboretum is such a close-knit area,” Rhinehart said. “Even though it’s open to the public, it’s still a personal place.”

Nagendra said she was also surprised at the theft. “The Arboretum takes care of the school’s environment,” she said. “I’m shocked that anyone would do this.”