Situational Awareness Response to VT Break-In's

This past week Virginia Tech’s off-campus housing experienced burglaries across several apartment complexes. With a delayed statement and lack of communication Virginia Tech, VTPD, and BPD have provided to the public, many Virginia Tech students, parents, and staff are left with uncertainty. The Blacksburg police have publicly reported two residential break-ins so far.

On Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, The Blacksburg Police responded to a report of breaking and entering of an occupied female residence on 400 block of East Roanoke Street that occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 22, 2021.

24 hours later, on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, The Blacksburg Police responded to a report on 500 block of Sunridge Drive for a breaking and entering of an occupied female residence that occurred in the early morning hours of January 23, 2021. This suspect of this break-in has been described as a college-aged white male wearing dark clothing and face covering.

Since the early morning of January 23, 2021, several additional leads and reports have been made to the Blacksburg Police, including attempted breaking and entering as well as car break-ins. The Blacksburg Police stated in their initial report that detectives will investigate every lead and are working to determine if any of the incidents are connected.

A Virginia Tech student, residing off-campus shares the incident of her apartment burglary and what she has to say to females across college campuses.

“On January 23rd, my apartment was broken into while my roommate and I were asleep in the two back bedrooms. I had left the door unlocked because my two other roommates were supposed to come home that night, but they spent the night at a friend’s house. The next day, they realized a lot of their belongings were missing. Both their laptops, chargers, wallets, jewelry, winter coats, backpack, a purse, doc martens, stun gun, photos removed from the walls, and dirty clothes all over the floor. We realized one of my roommates’ purse was taken that held her car keys and a tracking tile attached to her keys. The cops were able to track it to somewhere along Hearthstone and Giles Road. They found her car keys and a planner on the side of the road. It was a pretty surreal and scary experience because I did not hear anything that night and at first, I couldn’t believe it was true. Although it is convenient to leave your door unlocked when everyone isn’t home, it is important to prioritize safety over convenience. I would tell other females to be extra careful even though we live in a “safe” town with a lot of peers you trust, people will take advantage of you for being too trusting of those around you”.

In a time of fear and uncertainty for Virginia Tech college students, parents, and staff it is crucial to make sure individuals are following safety guidelines that have been provided by the Blacksburg Police. Additionally, a list of safety tips created by your fellow Hokies is included down below.

Although the Blacksburg community is cautioned to not draw conclusions on any crimes based on unofficial sources of information, we encourage you to reach out about these crimes if you have additional information, would like to report a crime, or need immediate assistance.

VTPD: 540-382-4343

BPD: 540-443-1400

If you need help working through this issue and are seeking support, reach out to Cook Counseling Center.

Monday- Thursday 8a.m. - 5 p.m.

540-231-6557

Located on 2475 Oak Lane (0108) Blacksburg, VA 24061

If you have any questions, tips, or concerns please leave a comment down below.