No shirt, no shoes, no…pants?
Students in Judaculla Residence Hall have complained that expensive clothing items, mainly men’s pants and jackets, are being stolen from the laundry room when left unattended.
The issue is nothing new for residents of Judaculla, as thefts have been going on since September. WCU Snapchat stories were buzzing with complaints and warnings about the apparent “Judaculla Pants Thief,” even going as far as to photoshop spirited “wanted” posters for the culprit.
In the laundry room, it’s not uncommon to hear chatter about the thefts while washing your clothes.
“Consider me Liam Neesen in Taken and call my stolen clothing Liam Neesen’s daughter in Taken,” joked Ryan Nadeau, a sophomore Judaculla resident.
The problem has sparked unrest amongst Judaculla residents. Nadeau has filed police reports on the issue, but to no avail.
“Me and a few others filed police reports, but there’s not much they can do because of the absence of cameras in the laundry room,” Nadeau said. “I’m assuming they’re either selling them or keeping them in a little collection somewhere. To be honest, I think they get a kick out of it and since they’ve gotten away with it so many times, they’re just going to keep doing it.”
Chief of the University Police Department, Steve Lillard, plans to do what he can to help residents.
“We have seen an uptick in the number of thefts from laundry rooms in Judaculla residence hall,” Lillard said. “I have requested that my staff do extra foot patrols in that building during the evening hours. I have also requested my programming coordinator to reach out to the staff of Judaculla to see if we can partner on some crime prevention programs.”
Some students have began to keep a watchful eye out for suspicious looking figures while in the laundry room. During stake outs to protect clothing, students have expressed that they have been taking note of who enters and leaves the room, as well as anyone who acts suspicious.
Elijah Carpenter, a freshman resident at Judaculla, began monitoring the laundry room after having two pairs of Wrangler pants and a pair of athletic shorts go missing.
“I did two lifts today just to try and escape from the thief,” Carpenter said, “I schedule my times around when I have free time to just sit.”
Tanner Ball, a sophomore resident at Judaculla, revealed that $175 worth of his clothing has gone missing.
“A lot of it was my workout gear, which is Young LA. That’s the brand I like. I had four or five shirts taken, probably four or five tank tops, my really nice sweatpants, my cargo pants, my shorts and all kinds of stuff. Like, barely anything left,” Ball said.
Many students wonder why cameras have not been placed in the residence hall’s laundry room after so many complaints have been made.
According to Lillard, cameras being installed in the laundry room hasn’t been requested, however it is possible if enough students request.
“My office has not been contacted regarding the addition of cameras in those locations. If students are passionate about this proposal, I would suggest they speak to the staff of the residence hall about their recommendation. That would be a good starting point for us to discuss the feasibility of cameras and the impact it would have on the residents,” Lillard said.
Should the culprit of these thefts be caught, the punishment for the crimes would vary. Theft such as this is in most incidents, considered larceny, according to North Carolina General Statute 14-72. Should the Judaculla Pants Thief be caught, they would also be referred to student affairs, as the crimes violate the student code of conduct.
“We take all crime seriously at WCU and we encourage anyone who has been a victim to please report the behavior to the police,” said Lillard. “If anyone has any information related to these crimes or any other incidents that have taken place on campus, please call (828)227-8911 so that we may address the actions of those involved.”
When asked about the incidents, Residential Living declined an interview and to comment.
Updates made Jan. 30, 2024
