Two Stony Brook University students were arrested in connection with the burglaries that took place in Kelly and Tabler Quads on two different days in September.
Spencer Simon, a resident student, was detained one day after the Sept. 22 burglaries. Richard Ma, a commuter, surrendered himself last Tuesday, Sept. 27, university police said.
Both students were arraigned in Suffolk County Criminal Court on multiple counts of burglary in the second degree, police said. Stony Brook has placed them on interim suspension, which is pending a university judicial hearing, Vice President of Student Affairs Peter Baigent said in a press release.
The first incident was reported on Sept. 8. On both occasions, the suspects entered at least three buildings – Sanger in Tabler Quad and Dewey and Schick in Kelly Quad – between 2 and 6 a.m. on a Thursday and stole the same types of personal objects, police said. Some of the items included cell phones, credit cards, at least four laptops and an Xbox.
University Police conducted “an intense investigation [and] were able to quickly establish the identity of one of the suspects,” making an arrest just one day after the second reported incident, Chief of Police Robert Lenahan said.
“Upon further investigation, the identity of the second suspect was ascertained. The second suspect was contacted by investigators and surrendered himself to university police,” Lenahan said.
During one of the incidents, “a sleeping student woke up and confronted the suspect who fled the location,” police said. The suspects entered all rooms through unlocked doors and windows, according to police.