$15,000 of photo equipment stolen from The Chronicle

<p>Nine pieces of photography equipment were stolen from The Chronicle office late this summer.</p>

Nine pieces of photography equipment were stolen from The Chronicle office late this summer.

Nine pieces of camera equipment were stolen from The Chronicle’s office during the summer, said Chrissy Beck, general manager of The Chronicle.

Due to construction in and around the Flowers Building, which houses The Chronicle’s office on its third floor, staff members did not use the office from the last week of June until the second week of August. The Chronicle’s staff was not aware that the items—valued at approximately $15,000—were stolen until Aug. 15, when a photographer on staff opened the photo closet to retrieve cameras and found that the equipment was missing.

“Our space was not secured,” Beck said. “Anybody could easily walk in and out, construction [workers] or not.”

Beck explained that during construction, maintenance staff used their DukeCards to provide subcontractors with access to the office using the card reader outside the office’s front door—which only allows Chronicle staff, maintenance and housekeeping to enter. The office’s front door was left propped open at times, she added.

Beck said she knew that renovations would occur near The Chronicle’s office but was not alerted that the office itself would be accessed by construction workers. She noted that she understands the need for workers to use the office to access Page Auditorium, a site of the construction work, but is upset with the lack of security.

Duke University Police Department is conducting an ongoing investigation of the incident.

Amrith Ramkumar, editor-in-chief of The Chronicle, said it was unfortunate that the staff discovered the theft only a couple of days before the start of Orientation Week, when The Chronicle released two special print issues.

“It definitely added to an already hectic time of year,” he said.

Ramkumar noted that he does not see any long term consequences of the theft for the staff—other than the financial cost to replace the equipment, which will be covered mostly by insurance.

“I commend my entire photo masthead—from the beginning of the incident to this point, they have been mature and professional in dealing with the situation,” he said. “They adjusted well when we had a shortage of equipment and have been very focused on moving on given the circumstances rather than dwelling on the unfortunate incident.”

This is not the first instance of burglary in the Flowers Building since the University’s recent increase in construction projects. Last December during winter break, items were stolen from the Mary Lou Williams Center on the first floor.

Beck said that her primary concern now is making sure the office door is locked and shut at all times, especially since students are back on campus and often work on the paper in the office late at night.

“I worry less about the equipment and more about the people in the space,” she said. “I just want them to not have any concerns.”

Despite this incident as well as the break-ins in West Campus dorms last week, Vice President for Administration Kyle Cavanaugh said that the numbers for burglaries and other crimes on campus are actually “trending down.”

He added that there has been an increase in security staff on campus and that the administration is considering every opportunity to ensure students’ safety at all times.

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