Goshen College is increasing campus security in light of an unidentified man who entered an off-campus house shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Sept. 29. The incident is under investigation by the Goshen Police Department, which has not released a sketch or description of the man.
“We’ve increased patrols in the area,” said Captain Jere Bigler, a detective on the police force. After being called to the scene on the night of the intrusion, Bigler said they were not able to collect any forensic evidence leading to a suspect.
Chad Coleman, a resident director for the college, has asked police to increase night patrol of the campus perimeter in addition to increased patrol of the off-campus housing neighborhoods.
Additional dead-bolts were added to the doors of the off-campus house, and curtains were installed in exposed windows.
Security has increased in other campus residential buildings as well.
“We have also instituted a lock-down of outside entrances of the apartments beginning this week,” said Coleman. The outside doors to the apartments lock at 11 p.m. each night, and students can gain entry using their apartment keys. Campus-wide e-mails and announcements have been sent to alert students of greater precautions such as locking their doors at all hours.
Since the break-in last week, two more instances of unwelcome strangers on campus have been reported. Last week, a young man in his early 20s was reportedly selling magazines in the connector and dorm halls and accepting cash from students. Both the resident director and campus security were called, and the man was escorted off campus.
Another young man appeared at Hospital House last Friday afternoon and inquired about who managed the house’s financial situation. He then asked to enter the house and use the students’ bathroom. He was refused entrance and left.
“In all cases like this, call the RD, or see if they have permission to be there,” said Coleman.
