The Madison Police Department is currently investigating the Sunday morning burglary of a West Gilman Street residence.
MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said it is unknown if the victims are University of Wisconsin students, but it is a possibility since they are college-aged and live in an off-campus area.
One tenant reported seeing his bedroom door open to the sight of a stranger looking for his phone at 2:30 a.m. The man initially believed the intruder to be associated with one of his many roommates, but soon realized otherwise.
“[The burglar] left almost immediately because after a couple seconds, the victim realized something didn’t seem right, so he took off,” DeSpain said.
After inspecting the rest of their home, the tenants noticed an open window and slashed screen, which is how the suspect broke into the residence. The man escaped with several electronics, including a laptop.
According to the MPD incident report, suspect is described as a black, clean shaven, 5-foot-11 man who smelled of marijuana and was last seen wearing a dark green, long-sleeve shirt with blue jeans.
MPD currently has no suspects, but the Burglary Crime Unit is conducting an investigation into the incident. DeSpain pointed to this as a reminder of the importance of home security.
“I’d advise students that you’ve got to remember to make sure both windows and doors are locked,” DeSpain said. “These are opportunistic criminals.”