Intruder burglarizes SDT house

Last Friday at around 8 a.m., two sisters living in the Sigma Delta Tau sorority house at 3833 Walnut Street awoke to find an unidentified man in their room. The two students living in the room, Nursing sophomore Casey Cohen and College sophomore Jessica Lampert, said the man identified himself as a plumber. Although they were skeptical, they went back to sleep assuming he was telling them the truth, they said. When they awoke again an hour later, the sisters discovered that the man had removed a purse and a wallet from their room containing $80 and credit cards. "When we woke up and realized that we had been robbed, we thought it was a dream," Cohen said. The women said they were not sure what the outcome would have been if they had confronted the intruder. "Perhaps it was better for our safety that we fell back asleep," Lambert said. According to the sisters, a painter let the man into the house. Because the house was just renovated for the SDT sisters this summer, workmen are still finishing up construction. The man, who stole the purse, was carrying a green identification card that identified him as a roofer. A report filed by University Police said the man has been identified as a black male wearing a plaid shirt and blue jeans. As of now, there are no suspects, according to University Police Sergeant Keith Christian. The house mother, Liz Kelly, was in the basement talking to the foreman when the intruder entered. "Had I heard the doorbell, I would have asked him for identification," Kelly said. "We are currently installing a system where I will be able to hear the doorbell from any place in the house. "I am thankful that only credit cards were stolen and no one was hurt," Kelly added. Kelly told sisters to begin locking their bedroom doors so future incidents do not occur. "We are going to use this experience to increase the safety of our house," said College senior Sandra Goldschein, president of Sigma Delta Tau. "This is also a good lesson for all houses to be more aware of their house's security."