A pair of brazen break-ins in the northeast end has London police urging residents, especially college and university students, to lock their doors and windows -- even when they are home.
Students at a home on Thurman Circle found a strange man in their basement around 12:45am on Monday. The man took off with a few items, meeting up with a group of approximately 20 other men. One student, who had followed the suspect, was assaulted. He suffered minor injuries.
About 20 minutes later, officers were called to a student home on Fleming Dr. after a man was spotted crawling out of a basement window. When the students tried to speak to the man he said he had a weapon, although one was not seen. He ran from the home to a group of men waiting nearby.
In both cases, the student occupants were home at the time of the break-ins.
“The fact that the suspects in this investigation appear to have been part of a larger group of 20 individuals is unusual, as is the fact that these break-ins occurred to residences which were occupied,” said Detective Sergeant Blair Harvey in a written statement. “It appears in these cases that student homes were specifically targeted so we are asking them to be sure to lock doors and windows to protect themselves from this type of incident.”
A 17-year-old male was arrested in relation to the break and enter at Thurman Circle. He is charged with break and enter and assault.
Anyone with information about the break-ins is asked to call police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
