Dining worker connected to string of thefts in Hill

A sub-contracted employee in Hill College House was arrested Thursday evening for entering several rooms in Hill College House and taking a computer from one of the residents.

Jibreel Williams, 29, allegedly entered a total of four rooms on the fourth and fifth floors of Hill House, all between the hours of 7 and 8:30 p.m., according to the Penn Police. One room on the fourth floor belonged to College freshman Brian Rowen, who came home at 8:30 p.m. to find his $2,500 laptop missing.

The alleged perpetrator was working two jobs prior to his arrest -- one as a furniture sub-contracting employee at Hill House, the other as a chef at the 1920 Commons dining hall. These positions provided him with a PennCard and Hill House room keys, which police say he used to commit the crimes.

When officials arrived to investigate, four additional students attested to having encountered Williams. Among them were College freshman Rebecca Levy and Engineering freshman Danielle Toussie, who live next door to Rowen.

"We heard a knock on the door, and when I opened it, [Williams] had a key in the lock," Levy said. "He looked kind of shocked, and immediately pulled the key out."

According to Levy, Williams claimed to be a Facilities and Real Estate Services employee who was checking each room's furniture status. Williams allegedly used the same ploy at the other rooms he entered, including that of Engineering junior and Hill House Office Manager Emily Hilton, and another on the fifth floor.

Shortly after their arrival, Penn Police used Williams' identification card to track his actions throughout the night.

"They ascertained who he was through the Spectaguard who was assigned there," Penn Police Detective Supervisor Frank Demeo said. They then "tracked the PennCard that the perpetrator was supplied through his job, and we were able to find out who he was and go from there."

Demeo added that while general furniture work was being done in the dormitory, "Williams was not scheduled to do any work in Hill House [that night], and had no reason to be in the building."

After investigating the Facilities office at the Franklin Building as well as the 1920 Commons dining office, detectives were able to track down Williams. The perpetrator confessed in a phone call with Detective Philip Lydon, and was brought in later that night.

Students on the two floors approved of the house's increased security measures, proposed shortly after the event.

"They've increased the security on the floor and changed the locks on the doors," Levy said. "It's reassuring that they've put so much effort into making the floor secure."

Williams, who failed to make his $10,000 bail, was charged with five counts each of burglary and criminal trespass, four counts of attempted thefts and one count each of theft and receiving stolen property.

Until his preliminary hearing -- set to occur on Sept. 17 at the police precinct at 55th and Pine streets -- Williams will be held at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in northeastern Philadelphia.

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