Early Thursday morning, Scott Rohde, Director of Public Safety, sent a campus-wide email informing the community of a break-in that occurred at a University residence on Lawn Avenue.

“At about 11:16PM, an unknown male entered a wood frame residence on Lawn Ave. near Pine St.,” Rohde wrote in the email.

The suspect is said to have entered the first floor through an unlocked window. He stole a laptop computer and a book bag located inside the house.

The suspect then traveled throughout the house, knocking loudly on the door to a locked room that contained a student. After not receiving a reply, the suspect kicked down the door, breaking the lock.

“We made eye contact, and I let out a bloodcurdling scream,” the student who was inside the room said. “He ran away. I called 911 immediately, but I didn’t know if he was still in the house until the officers came and checked. I was so scared. The Middletown Police and Public Safety both came to question me and check all the windows and doors.”

In his email to the community, Rohde wrote that the suspect is believed to have acted alone.

“No other crimes have been reported in the area,” Rohde wrote.

Rohde urged all students to keep all residence doors fully closed and locked, as well as to lock any first floor windows. He also suggested that students leave on all porch and common area lights at night.