Student arrested for textbook thefts
On Jan. 27, Duke University Police Department investigators arrested sophomore Eric Jiang, DOB Oct. 22, 1984, on one count of felony larceny. Jiang admitted to stealing $1,836 in textbooks from the University bookstore.
"It's my fault. I did it and I'm admitting full responsibility for it," Jiang told The Chronicle. "I will be pleading guilty."
Upon his arrest, Jiang, of 106 House G, was transported to the Durham County Jail and placed under a $2,000 secured bond. He first appeared in court Jan. 28, and could face jail time for the felony.
However, Jiang said that police officers told him that because it was his first offense, he would probably not go to jail. He promised to pay full restitution to the University and do whatever is necessary to atone for his crimes.
In an interview with The Chronicle, he expressed regret and admitted that he did not need the textbooks. "It wasn't need," he said. "My mother works at home by herself most of the year and I just sort of wanted to help her out. I know this shouldn't be the way to do it."
The arrest resulted from a joint investigation by the DUPD and the Office of the Dean of Students.
Thief absconds with video projector
An employee reported the theft of a $4,230 Sony ceiling-mounted video projector from a conference room at Duke Hospital. The projector was last seen in the room at 5 p.m. Jan. 22 and was reported missing at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 28.
Costly sprayer taken from construction site
A contractor reported the theft of a $2,700 Titan pneumatic paint sprayer from a construction trailer at the new School of Divinity building construction site. The contractor reported that he opened the trailer at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 29 to retrieve tools and the paint sprayer was in the trailer at that time. When he returned to the trailer at 10:30 a.m., the sprayer was gone.
A ring is forever? No, stolen
A visitor reported the theft of a $400 gold wedding band from the Wilson Recreation Center. The victim reported that he placed the ring inside his hat and put the hat inside his coat while he was exercising. He said the theft occurred sometime between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Jan. 29.
Wheel cover taken
An employee reported the theft of a $50 Ford wheel cover from his vehicle, which was parked in Parking Garage IV on West Campus. The employee said that he parked the vehicle at 8:15 a.m. Jan. 30 and found the wheel cover missing at 6:30 p.m. that evening.
Truck whupped near Jarvis
A Duke-owned 2003 Ford Ranger pickup truck was damaged in the Jarvis Dormitory parking lot last week. An employee said he parked the truck behind Jarvis at 2 p.m. Jan. 29, and when he returned to the truck an hour later, he found the windshield broken and several small dents in the roof. The incident, which caused $300 in damage, did not appear to be a break-in.
Dough lifted from Hospital room
A visitor reported the theft of $145 in cash from a patient room in Duke Hospital. The visitor said that she left the money in a purse in a closet in the patient room while she took her children for a walk at 4:45 p.m. Jan. 30 When she returned to the room at 5 p.m., the money was missing.
Club car damaged on East
An employee reported damage to a maintenance club car parked on the main East Campus quadrangle. The employee said that the vehicle was parked in front of Wilson Dormitory at 5 p.m. Jan. 23 and was found damaged at 1:41 p.m. Jan. 28. The right and left side mirrors and windshield wipers were damaged on the vehicle, costing $125 to repair.
Purse-snatching at Hospital makes woman poorer
An employee's purse, containing $23 cash and a cellular phone, was stolen from Duke Hospital. The employee said that she last saw her purse at 8 p.m. Jan 27 at a nurse's workstation. The purse was missing when she looked for it at 10:45 p.m. The purse and its contents are valued at $273.
Phone spirited out of Hospital room
A $60 Nokia cellular phone was stolen from a patient room in Duke Hospital, a visitor reported. The visitor said she left phone unattended in the room at 3:40 p.m. Jan. 26 for around an hour, and at 8:20 p.m. that night, she noticed the phone was missing.
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