Two Edens rooms robbed Thursday

Two dorm rooms in Edens Quadrangle were robbed early Thursday morning, Duke University Police Department Maj. Gloria Graham confirmed.

One of the rooms was broken into between 2 and 4 a.m. Thursday, and wallets, debit cards and a laptop were stolen, the residents reported. A wallet was stolen in the second incident, which residents said took place between midnight and 8 a.m.

Both rooms, located only a few doors apart, were unlocked at the time of the robbery.

One of the credit cards was used at an ATM near campus, and DUPD officials are reviewing surveillance pictures to identify the suspect.

Police received reports of a suspicious person in the area, described as a black male in his early 20s and wearing a gray sweatshirt, Graham said.

Thefts usually spike in January when students return from break and bring valuables from home, Graham noted. Fourteen thefts took place during January last year, including one wallet stolen from a student's room, she said.

Graham suggested that students lock their rooms and hide expensive items in order to prevent their valuables from being taken. Prior to this incident, DUPD and Allied Barton had stepped up efforts in the libraries and have continued to patrol Wilson Recreation Center.