Drexel University students on alert after recent burglaries

POWELTON (WPVI) -- Students who attend Drexel University are being put on alert after several homes were burglarized near campus.

In all, five burglaries took place early in the morning between Saturday and Monday last week - some while the residents were asleep inside.

Drexel University Police say they are stepping up patrols in an effort to find whoever is responsible.

Students who live both on and off campus told Action News they are aware of the situation.

"It's scary," said senior Shannon Nolan. "Students are starting to feel it. You wake up In the middle of the night, and there's an alert that says there's a burglary next to my house. It's a sense of unease."

Two apartments were hit in the 3200 block of Powelton Ave. and a residence was burglarized in the 3200 block of Summer St.

The three incidents were reported this past Saturday.

Drexel student Lisa McArdle couldn't get into her Powelton Street apartment Saturday morning. Someone locked the door from the inside and she knew her sister wasn't home.

"I had to break down the front door - basically break through the lock to get into my apartment," she explains.

When she got in she realized she'd been robbed.

Lisa says, "I looked in and my TV was gone ... and my new laptop I got a couple of weeks ago was stolen and my backpack was taken."

Police believe the burglar or burglars struck between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m. gained entry through unlocked windows or doors. They made off with jewelry, backpacks and electronics.

Then two days later, two more burglaries were reported. This time, it was between the hours of 9:00 and 10:00 in the morning.

Both occurred in an apartment house in the 300 block of North 33rd St. And in both cases, a front door was propped open, and the burglars muscled their way into the two apartments.

Drexel University Police announced they are stepping up patrols. The crimes all happened at off-campus housing that falls within Drexel's patrol zone.

Off-campus residents told Action News they are taking the alert seriously

"I actually live in an apartment where the front door, people prop it open," said Shauna Goldman. "There's a sign not to do it. I make sure it's not propped when I go inside."

Students we spoke with say the neighborhood is quieter now because it's still the summer session.

In just a few weeks, fall session begins and more students will be moving into the area.