Northwestern student’s cell phone taken at fraternity house

A Northwestern student’s cell phone was stolen Friday while she was helping prepare for a party at a fraternity house, according to police.

While at Phi Kappa Psi, the student left her iPhone 5 on a table in the basement along with other phones, said Daniel McAleer, deputy chief of University Police. At the time, three members of the fraternity’s food staff were also in the area.

Between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., the student was going in and out of the kitchen and saw her cell phone was where she had left it, McAleer. She noticed it was no longer in the same place when she returned to the table at 9 p.m.

The student had installed tracking software on the cell phone and traced it to the South Side of Chicago, McAleer said. She called the cell phone, but no one picked up. UP was also unsuccessful in reaching the cell phone.

The student told UP she would provide them with the cell phone’s serial number, McAleer said.

The cell phone is worth less than $500, according to police.

Emergency exit signs damaged in Allison Hall

Emergency exit signs have been damaged in Allison Hall over the past several weeks, according to police.

A Residential Services staff member notified UP of the latest evidence Friday afternoon, McAleer said. The staff member noticed two broken signs on the third floor during a routine check of the dorm Friday morning.

The staff member asked a housekeeper about the most recent damage, and the housekeeper told the staff member he or she noticed similar damage two weeks ago but did not report it to Residential Services or UP, McAleer said. At the time, the housekeeper saw all signs in a section of the third floor were damaged or stolen. They were “immediately” fixed or replaced, McAleer said.

Officers took photos of the latest damage, McAleer said. Surveillance footage of the area is not available.

— Patrick Svitek