Franklin Field hit by crime

Franklin Field experienced a series of burglaries last night that left University Police scrambling to discover what exactly was missing, University Police Sergeant Tom Rambo said. Although it is not yet known whether property of the Athletic Department was taken, a room that "stores football equipment" was entered. Rambo said University Police would not know if anything was stolen until later today when Athletic Department officials could check for missing items. He added, however, that there was evidence of forceful entry into a room used to store some of the football team's equipment, in addition to two food stands and one funnel-cake stand. In addition, Rambo said a room in the George Munger Athletic Complex was found open, but the police don't believe there was forceful entry. He also said they could not tell whether anything was removed from the room. "It didn't appear that anything was missing," Rambo said. "The door was left open, but the food stands were definitely broken into." Rambo added that the police department was carrying the break-ins as a burglary. Athletic Director Steve Bilsky was unavailable for comment last night. The Munger Complex houses the Penn football and women's track locker rooms as well as an equipment room. A fire in the equipment room Sept. 22 destroyed Penn football uniforms, causing more than $150,000 in damage. At the time, University Director of Fire and Occupational Safety James Miller speculated that foam pads, which had been removed from the dryer, smoldered in a canvas bin and later erupted after equipment personnel left the building. Miller said that he thought the fire flared into the 20-by-20 foot room when oxygen in the bin ran out. The damage included melted and twisted helmets and charred cleats.

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