UH break-ins
frustrating facultyManoa professors blame
limited staff and ineffective
locks as part of the problem
Better security measures are needed to ensure faculty and student safety, say some University of Hawaii faculty members after a rash of break-ins at three separate buildings at the Manoa campus.
"If people are getting into the building and there is an encounter between a burglar, faculty member or student, somebody might get hurt," said Edward Laws, chairman of the Oceanography Department. "Something needs to be done right away."
The break-ins have frustrated faculty members. However, campus police did make an arrest last week.
On Wednesday, 20-year-old Chad Weigel of California was arrested and later charged for second-degree burglary after he allegedly broke into an office on the third floor of the Marine Sciences Building.
Faculty members commended campus security for capturing the suspect. However, some say limited staff makes it difficult to monitor all buildings.
Some professors at the Marine Sciences Building had e-mailed the chancellor's office requesting better locks or installation of security alarm systems to ensure their safety as well as students who work late on campus. They also noted that better security measures are needed to protect the equipment in the buildings.
Laws is expected to meet with Vice Chancellor Rodney Sakaguchi this week to discuss ways to step up security at the Marine Sciences building.
In an e-mail to Laws last week, Sakaguchi said the building will have alarm systems installed soon.
UH Manoa spokesman Jim Manke said security cameras are being installed in some buildings after a rash of thefts in the late summer and early fall.
He said safety and security committees are being formed to "come up with something more than band-aid" solutions to security.
Laws said he was working on the second floor when the burglary and arrest occurred.
A security officer noticed that the lock on the entrance door of the Marine Sciences building was broken about 1:30 a.m. Campus security detained the suspect until police arrived.
UH spokeswoman Kate Wester said the suspect had a set of keys to another office in the building and a backpack that didn't belong to him.
It was the second break-in at the Marine Sciences in a week.
Laws said the Marine Sciences building was broken into at least four times since Thanksgiving. He also noted that someone had attempted to break into his office one weekend and damaged the lock.
Laws said locks that comply with the American Disabilities Act were installed at the designated buildings, but some faculty members pointed out that they easily break and are ineffective. Workers had replaced broken locks with the same type of lock.
The Biomedical Sciences building and Bilger Hall have also been targeted by burglars. Laptop computers and personal items such as credit cards, checkbooks and cash were stolen in previous break-ins. Computers can be replaced but data in the computer for students is irreplaceable, Laws said. He added that he had a security alarm system installed in the oceanography office three weeks ago after several break-ins.
Oceanography Professor David Karl said he has installed extra locks at several laboratories costing an estimated $2,500 of his own money.
The burglaries have "gotten everybody on edge," he said. "It's put everybody in a rotten mood."
Star-Bulletin reporter Helen Altonn contributed to this report.