Missing items do not dull Herty updates

Items taken during summer still missing from Herty Hall, updates are now available.

With the large amount of campus construction that went on this summer, two ladders and a utility handcart, estimated value at $260, have turned up missing from Herty Hall.

Clyde Boone Jr., a member of service maintenance assigned to Herty, noticed the items were missing after returning from the fourth of July holiday break on July 21. Soon after, the case underwent investigation. Despite the case being reported as a theft, it seems it could have easily been a construction mishap.

The construction was adding updates to Herty Hall.

On the first and second floors, new laboratory and office space were added for the biology and environmental sciences departments. This new space freed up offices and classrooms in the original building for the expansion of the physics department. On the third floor, a studio lab was added and offers great value for classes where a laboratory and lecture combination is beneficial. The construction also added a new greenhouse which includes an automatic shade system, intake shutters and exhaust fans. There is also a new observation tower for the astronomy classes.

“During the summer months they were working on Herty Hall, so (Public Safety) theorized that it was a good possibility, with all the construction going on, out of the multiple contractors that were used during the construction, one might have mistakenly grabbed our equipment.” Robert Butler, Public Safety detective, said.

In early August, Public Safety made efforts to get in touch with all contractors that were involved with the construction, but not all have been reached. Boone kept track of the items and made preventative measures to prevent items from being stolen.

“I had my ladder locked to the cart on the first floor in the data room of Herty,” Boone said. Items purchased by Georgia College all undergo an identification stamping in order to show ownership. Public Safety wants to cover all bases before calling the items stolen.

“It’s just one of those things where we have to rule out the possibility that it could have been mistakenly grabbed by one of these contractors. If that’s the case, then we’re looking at a theft, but you’re looking at one of those weird thefts. I mean, who would want to take a ladder? Only other thing would be to take the items and pawn them, but we’ve checked the pawn shops too and nothing turned up,” Butler said.

In order to prevent further situations such as this, Butler recommended a utility closet be put into use so there is a specified place for Georgia College equipment.