The St. Louis Police Department and the Department of Public Safety are conducting a continuing investigation into on-campus robberies that occurred on March 9 and 10.

Between the hours of 11 p.m. on March 9 and 6 a.m. on March 10, six apartments in the Village were entered, while most students were away for spring break. The police department and DPS found that none of the victims’ apartments had been entered by force. Laptop computers, DVDs, video games, an iPod and a full computer and monitor were stolen.

“We believe a visitor to the complex or a sneak thief checked doors to find apartments that were unlocked. This person likely went through the complex, checking for unlocked doors. When the perpetrator found a door unlocked, he or she entered the apartment, and in a matter of seconds was able to grab small electronic items, such as laptops, electronic games and CDs,” said Jack Titone, the director of DPS.

Titone said that of the residents of the six apartments, four were unsure if they had locked their doors, while two said they thought they had locked their doors. Some of the victims were asleep in their apartments when the robberies occurred.

Titone said the students have estimated the stolen property at $7,000.

“DPS has received some information about the incidents, and we have some people of interest,” said Titone.

The Police Department collected fingerprints from the burgled apartments, and Titone said that as suspects are identified, their fingerprints will be run through the police department’s Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

“We’ll get through this, and we will find out who was responsible . might be a week, six months, a year . but those fingerprints are on record,” Titone said.

Molly Schneider, one of the robbery victims, had already left for spring break when her desktop computer, some jewelry and DVDs were taken from her bedroom. Schneider said that her three roommates were asleep in the apartment during the crime and did not discover the incident until the next morning, when they woke to find the door open and her computer missing.

Schneider said that she had no idea why the burglar chose her room. She said the door to the apartment was “most likely unlocked,” but she and her roommates will be locking their door from now on.

“We hope that these incidents serve as a wake-up call for all students who live on campus, to keep their doors locked,” Titone said.

If and when the person or persons responsible are discovered, the culprits will be arrested, and DPS “would hope” that the victims would press charges. If the perpetrators are students, they will also be put through the judicial system.

“My gut’s telling me that it’s someone associated with the University, either a student, or a friend or visitor [of a student],” said Titone.

“When we can share more details about the investigation, we will. We are asking anyone who has any information about these incidents to call the DPS investigator at 977-3407 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,” Titone said.