Students steal patio furniture

By PAUL SWEENY

In the last three weeks, several sets of tables and chairs have disappeared from the recently furnished Arts and Sciences patio.

According to Communication Professor Paul Soukup, SJ, five glass tables and three chairs were stolen from the Arts and Sciences building sometime within the first two weeks of school. Since the furniture was not tied down, it was susceptible to the potent criminal minds of several students on campus.

Many students and faculty consider it a coincidence that the thefts occurred at the same time students were moving back into their living quarters, and probably needed furniture, tables and chairs.

Senior Brendan McNallen is one of several students who have seen these rather expensive glass tables amongst the squalor of triple bedrooms and single bathrooms."I've never seen so much nice furniture amongst such bare surroundings," McNallen said.McNallen also said not to underestimate the criminal capacity of second-hand furniture stores, as he believes they may have been involved.

"They prey on upstanding, trusting citizens who believe in the tradition of leaving their patio furniture outside," he said.

One anonymous student who actually helped several of his friends steal a table for their kitchen, justified his actions by saying, "My conscious is cleared by the $26,000 deposit I pay the school every year.

While some consider this a rather abrasive and irrational approach to crime, most students do not concur with this student's sentiments.

"I am ashamed that students are desecrating our beautiful new Comm. building for the benefit of few, while ruining the reputation of many," senior Porter Travis said.

Public Safety Watch Commander Mark Bersch questions if the tables and chairs have just been moved across campus.

"I believe that some of the furniture has just been moved to the Benson Parlors," Bersch said, "because as far as our reports show there has been no stolen property reported from the Communication Building."

Bersch went on to say he needs to check with the communication department after he received information that students were believed to have been involved.