Many of the Greek organizations on campus are having issues with theft.
Letters from multiple sororities, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity’s flag and Gamma Phi sorority’s trophy have been stolen in the past month alone.
“Our letters have been taken in the past, but were returned within a matter of days,” said Cynthia Bedford, president of Alpha Chi Omega. “This time, our ‘Omega’ has been gone since before spring break.”
Alpha Chi Omega is still missing their “Omega” from the front of their house and the “Chi” from the back.
Bedford has spoken with presidents and representatives from each sorority and fraternity on campus. The Panhellenic faculty advisors have been involved as well.
The Panhellenic Council has requested that each house with missing letters file a police report. Bedford said this will be the first official police report filed by Alpha Chi Omega.
Lieutenant Joshua Pankowsky said:
This is the first time this has happened in five years. I don’t know why this is happening. It seems like pranking to me.”
Stealing the letters is considered petit larceny or petty theft, since it is under $500. According to Oklahoma law, this is punishable by a fine of $10-$500 and imprisonment in a county jail for no more than six months.
However, it is likely that criminal charges will not be filed, said Pankowsky.
An Alpha Phi letter was also stolen. OCUPD found it on top of the Nellie R. Melton Panhellenic Quadrangle pavilion within hours.
Sororities aren’t the only targets of theft. FIJI has had issues with their property being stolen recently.
During Relay For Life on April 8, the FIJI flag was stolen from their table. Police questioned anyone who was seen near the table during the time it was stolen, but the flag wasn’t returned until about five days later.
Tom Hoblin, corresponding secretary of FIJI, said there were no hard feelings toward the people who stole the flag:
What’s done is done. Our flag got taken. We got it back. That’s really all we have to say. We don’t want to create any problems between the fraternities. We had a problem, we got it solved and that’s about it.”
Pankowsky said the plan going forward is to continue questioning subjects and getting housing involved. The RAs will be notified to be on the lookout for the letters during room checks.
If the letters are off-campus, OCUPD cannot search for them and must rely on word of mouth to locate them.
Levi Harrel, assistant director of student development, will be sending an email to the presidents of the Greek chapters on campus, reminding them that taking items from other chapters may be a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and/or the law.
If the letters are not returned, new ones will have to be purchased to replace them.
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