August 2024 saw crime reports on or around Georgetown University property more than double as compared to August 2023.
According to the Georgetown University Police Department’s (GUPD) public crime log, the department recorded 28 total crime reports during August, all but two of which were thefts or burglaries and including one July crime reported in August. The 28 crimes marks a sharp increase from the same period in 2023, with 11 crimes occurring in August 2023; a similar year-over-year increase occurred in July, with July 2023 seeing 16 incidents and July 2024 32 incidents.
Jay Gruber, Georgetown’s associate vice president of public safety, said the university aims to increase campus security in affected locations and continues to remind students and community members of the importance of taking precautionary measures.
“We take these issues very seriously and have been increasing patrols in the impacted areas, coordinating with the Metropolitan Police Department and ramping up our efforts to remind members of the Georgetown community to lock doors and secure their valuables at all times,” Gruber wrote to The Hoya.
Among the August burglaries was one Aug. 26 incident in McCarthy Hall, an upperclass residence hall, in which an individual reported that $100 was missing when they left their door unlocked between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Brad Derfner (CAS ’27), a McCarthy resident, said that he felt sympathy for the victim, knowing that many student dorm rooms are likely left unlocked.
“I think 95% of the rooms, or the dorms, on campus are probably unlocked at all times,” Derfner told The Hoya. “I feel bad for the individual who got their stuff stolen.”
Rishi Bharadwaj (CAS ’27), another resident of McCarthy Hall, said that knowing there was a burglary in his building disturbed him.
“As a resident of McCarthy, the events of Aug. 26 have kind of perturbed me a bit — that kind of scares me a bit,” Bharadwaj told The Hoya. “We have a couple valuables, we’ve invested a lot of money in making our room look good, so if we found out that one of our things was missing, if we found out that our TV was missing, that would definitely send us into a state of shock.”
Two of the August incidents were unlawful entry incidents, both occurring Aug. 25; during the incidents, GUPD barred individuals from entering or remaining in Poulton Hall, an academic and office building, and Darnall Hall, a first-year residence hall, respectively.
Derfner said that on a campus like Georgetown’s, unauthorized entry often requires only a single unlocked door, making it easy for an outsider to enter residence buildings.
“We do have a pretty open campus and all that it takes for a person who’s not identifying with the school to get in is just a door that’s unlocked,” Derfner said.
As of Sept. 4, GUPD continues to investigate 23 of the August crimes.
Bharadwaj said that he has taken extra precautions to secure his room since finding out about the Aug. 26 McCarthy Hall burglary.
“Now that I know that, I’m going to take further steps in securing our room a little better,” Bharadwaj said.
Gruber said that awareness is key to safety both on- and off-campus.
“All of us need to be very aware of the environment we live and work in,” Gruber said.
