Stouffer sacked in midnight break-in

About 50 students entered the closed dining hall, cooked and stole boxes of food yesterday. and Alex Wong About 50 students broke into Stouffer Dining Commons early yesterday morning and helped themselves to the cafeteria's food, used its kitchen appliances and went into the building's administrative offices and storage areas, witnesses and Dining Services officials said. While most of the students were only eating cereal, many used the kitchen's stoves and tried to steal some larger appliances, including a television set, witnesses said. The students went to the dining hall expecting to be let in for the daily midnight breakfast, but found the door to the building not fully locked, the power on and no Dining Services employees to supervise them. The dining hall was actually closed for fall break. "I've lost more than just food and bowls," Stouffer Dining manager Addie Flowers said. "I've lost faith in the students." Police arrived at around 12:50 a.m. after they received a report of a homeless person in the building, and the students all apparently left. The police then chained the door shut and left. University Police officials said yesterday afternoon they had not received any report from Dining officials of any thefts from Stouffer. Dining Services Director Bill Canney said the student manager was responsible for failing to close the open door and said the power was left on because of maintenance work. While some of the antics were "mildly amusing," as one participant said -- several students were seen cooking eggs on a stove -- others were looting the premises. One student said he saw a group of students trying to take a television set off the wall, while others rummaged through the management offices, kitchens and refrigerators. Many students were seen leaving the building with boxes of food. Flowers arrived at 2 a.m. and cleaned up what she called "a complete mess" that was left by the students. "There was cheese and cereal scattered on the floor," she said. After a "a quick glance over," Flowers said foodstuffs and decorations were taken, food carts were rolled out of the refrigerators and food station signs were taken down and strewn about. The looters rationalized their actions by blaming Dining officials for leaving the building open. "It's pathetic, irresponsible and rather sad that [Dining staffers] left the place open," one student said. The two police officers on the scene, meanwhile, listened to students tell them that it was the regular midnight breakfast -- and left the scene without taking any action against the students. Dining Services held a meeting yesterday to deal with the incident, Canney said. "What's done is done. There's no way for us to know how much was really taken," Canney said after the meeting, adding that no large equipment was stolen.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.