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Weekly LUPD Activity Summary

April 27, 2026 – May 3, 2026

This week, the Lehigh University Police Department managed approximately 146 calls for service. The campus climate saw significant activity regarding bias-related property damage and a series of "reminiscing" pranks that escalated into criminal burglary and theft. LUPD issued a Clery Act Timely Warning this week following serious verbal threats made by a non-Lehigh visitor, highlighting our commitment to rapid community notification and suspect identification.

Significant Incidents & Crimes

Crimes Against Property/Person

  • Bias Incident (Vandalism): LUPD investigated the discovery of a swastika carved into an elevator glass panel at Southside Commons. Officers immediately covered the marking with tape and conducted a building-wide canvass, including door-to-door interviews and the posting of crime alert flyers. The investigation is ongoing to identify the suspect. A Clery Act Timely Warning was sent for this incident.
  • Burglary (House 84): Four males entered a residential building through a window, drew explicit images on whiteboards, and stole a cookie jar. The individuals—identified as former students/members of the previous organization in that building—later turned themselves in at LUPD, apologized to the current residents, and provided restitution. The matter was referred to the District Attorney and the Dean of Students. A Clery Act Timely Warning was sent for this incident.
  • Verbal Threats (Clery Timely Warning): A student reported being approached by a driver in a black BMW who made violent, sexually explicit threats. Through license plate readers, LUPD identified the driver as a local high school student. The individual was verbally and formally trespassed from all Lehigh property. A Clery Act Timely Warning was sent for this incident.
  • Rathbone Theft: A group of students was identified via surveillance for stealing a five-gallon tub of ice cream from Rathbone Dining Hall. The students admitted to the act as a "prank," paid full restitution, and were referred to the conduct system.
  • Uncomfortable Interaction: A student reported that an unknown male approached her in a classroom at the Rauch Business Center and repeatedly moved closer to her, making her feel uneasy. Detectives conducted multiple walkthroughs of the building but did not locate the individual.

Fraud/Drugs/Liquor

  • Intoxication & Medical Aid: Officers responded to multiple intoxication reports at the Dialogue Center, Whitaker Lab, and Sigma Phi Delta. In several cases, students required hospital transport. Medical Amnesty was applied where students acted in good faith to seek help.
  • Identity Theft & Fraud: A student reported online fraud where a suspect accessed her bank account remotely. Another student reported a "laptop for sale" scam on a student association app where they lost funds for shipping fees.
  • Fake ID: A student's lost phone was turned in, containing a fraudulent Indiana driver's license. The fake ID was destroyed, and the student was referred to the Dean of Students.
  • Animal Neglect: Officers responded to a report of a guinea pig left without food or water in a campus suite for over 24 hours. The animal was recovered by the owner's friend and removed from campus; the student was referred for housing and animal neglect violations.

Facilities & Hazards

  • Window Damage: A ground-level office window at Christmas-Saucon was found broken. Investigation suggests the damage may have been accidentally caused by construction machinery parked nearby.
  • Water Leaks: Significant water leaks were reported and handled by Facilities at the EWFM Library and Warren Square E.
  • Illegal Dumping: Several bags of rubbish and furniture were found dumped near Sayre Fields and the Sayre Park C parking lot. A student was identified for using a rental truck to dump furniture and a cut-up hot tub into university compactors, which caused damage to the machines.

Security Alarms & Unauthorized Access

  • Suspicious Activity: An older male was reported walking behind students near Trembley Park. The camera review tracked the individual to a nearby community group home, determining that he was merely out for a walk.
  • Building Security: Officers discovered and secured open gates at Sayre Fields and Ulrich Fields. A mechanical room door at Williams Hall was found to be malfunctioning and referred for repair.
  • Alarms: Responded to three burglar alarms and four fire/trouble alarms. Most were caused by cooking or hair care products and were reset after the areas were verified safe.

Traffic Stops & Enforcement

  • Safety Enforcement: Six traffic stops were conducted this week for stop sign violations and one-way street violations. Most resulted in verbal warnings to educate drivers.
  • Citations: One student received a traffic citation for reckless driving (performing "donuts") in a wet parking lot near Stabler Arena.

Service & Logistics

  • Lockouts: LUPD handled 48 residential, building, and office lockouts this week. One vehicle lockout was also successfully resolved.
  • Welfare Checks: Four welfare checks were conducted for students who missed medical appointments or had not contacted their families. All were confirmed safe.
  • Assistance: LUPD provided three vehicle jump-starts and four transports (courtesy/safety escorts).

Lessons Learned: This week highlights that actions intended as "reminiscing" or "pranks" can meet the legal threshold for burglary and criminal mischief, leading to serious university and legal consequences. We also urge students to be vigilant with online transactions; never share your Social Security number or personal passwords for "free" offers on social apps. Finally, our community’s safety is bolstered when you report suspicious behavior immediately; the identification of the trespassed driver this week was made possible by the swift reporting of the affected students.

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