AMHERST — University of Massachusetts Police arrested two people this week on multiple charges of larceny following backpack thefts on the Amherst campus.
Alexandra B. Brewer, 23, of Holyoke, and Gregory Collison, 26, of 950 North Pleasant St., Unit 21, Amherst, were both arrested Monday at 3:56 p.m. on nine counts of larceny over $250 and five counts of larceny under $250 following an incident at Franklin Dining Commons, when two backpacks were reported stolen.
While responding, officers observed two individuals who matched the description of the two suspects believed to be involved in a string of backpack thefts on campus at the dining commons, as well as the Fine Arts Center and W.E.B. DuBois Library. The two suspects were stopped and, following an investigation, were arrested.
“While the items in backpacks may have just been material items to these suspects, these thefts caused significant impacts for the affected students,” UMass Police Chief Tyrone Parham said in a statement. “Due to the officers’ diligence and teamwork, UMPD was able to apprehend these suspects.”
Both were arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, where they pleaded innocent, and were held on $1,000 cash bail. Collison is due back in court Friday, while Brewer will return Oct. 10.
Collison was previously arrested by Amherst Police in August on charges of breaking and entering into a vehicle and larceny over $250, related to an Aug. 21 break-in at the Boltwood parking garage.
Since Sept. 15, UMass police officers have responded to several reports of stolen backpacks that contained laptops, wallets, cellphones, credit cards, passports, cash and other miscellaneous personal items. In each case, the backpack was left unattended for minutes or hours.
Through the use of camera systems in the campus buildings, officers were able to get descriptions of the suspects.
Parham encourages the community to take precautions to prevent similar crimes by locking doors and not leaving valuables unattended.
