PENNSYLVANIA STUDENTS REACT TO COMPUTER THEFTS ON CAMPUS The Daily Collegian Online - Published independently by students at Penn State

Students react to dorm room thefts

Two more Penn State students were set to be charged Friday for their alleged involvement in a spree of on-campus thefts yielding $7,369 in cash and goods -- adding more perpetrators to a crime that has left student victims bewildered by their boldness.

Penn State Police said Brendan Cheesebrough (freshman-health and human development), Kevin Guizzetti (freshman-liberal arts) and Camron Carra (freshman-communications) stole electronics, cash, medication and other personal items in the early morning of Oct. 7 from 12 unsecured Stuart Hall rooms.

Police said they planned to charge Guizzetti and Cheesebrough Friday. Carra was charged last Tuesday with one count of conspiracy, 12 counts of burglary, 12 counts of criminal trespass, 16 counts oftheft and 16 counts of receiving stolen property for his connection to the thefts in his own residence hall.

Michael McDonough (freshman-finance), a Stuart Hall resident, said he did not know any of the men who stole his laptop and computer accessories, valued at more than $2,000.

"I made the mistake of keeping my door unlocked at night," McDonough said. "So, I guess it's kind of my own fault."

According to court documents, Cheesebrough, Guizzetti and Carra told police they were drinking, smoking marijuana and snorting Adderall when they decided to go into unlocked rooms within Stuart Hall and steal personal belongings in an effort to make fast cash.

Earlier that evening, the three men told police they had accidentally entered the wrong dorm and one of the men realized how easy it would be to burglarize unlocked rooms.

From there, they made a plan: Carra would be the appraiser; Cheesebrough would be the "lookout;" and Guizzetti would be the thief, according to court documents.

"It's kind of shocking," McDonough said, "but there are so many kids -- [the police] can't stop everything."

Of the 27 items stolen throughout the night, 16 have been recovered and returned to their owners, court documents read.

McDonough's belongings were recovered and returned to him nearly three weeks after the incident, he said.

Jason Digiovanni (freshman-pre-medicine) had his wallet and contents, valued at $55, stolen and returned to him nearly two weeks later. Digiovanni said he usually keeps his door locked, but fell asleep that night before he locked his door.

"That was really creepy," he said. "It's got to take some nerve with the people sleeping right there."

Court documents indicate that the victims who did not have their belongings recovered will receive restitution from the defendants to cover the cost.

Guizzetti told police Carra called an unidentified actor to come and get the stolen items and sell them.

On Nov. 29, Todd J. Barnhart, 19, of Hollidaysburg, was arrested on charges of receiving stolen property in connection to the burglaries, said Tyrone Parham, assistant director for university police.

Collegian staff writer Andrew McGill contributed to this report.