Dear Campus Community,

Warmer, drier weather is coming, I promise.

The question of the day is: What is SUSPICIOUS (Activity, Behavior, Items)?

Much like profanity, it is difficult to define, but you know it when you are faced with it.

Recently a “Suspicious Person” was seen in the area of the Pioneer Newspaper offices, in Meiklejohn (MI) Hall. It was a normal afternoon where people were in and out of the lower level of MI. A male subject walked out of the office area and a Pioneer staff member asked another “Who’s that guy?” Neither staff member knew the subject, so one asked the subject, “can I help you?”

The subject pushed past the staff member and didn’t reply. The staff member followed the subject into the hall area and watched as he entered the men’s restroom, then returned to the office and asked the co-worker to call University Police Department (UPD) as something just didn’t feel right. UPD arrived and was told that some guy had walked out of the private office area of the Pioneer and was not recognized as a staff member. UPD was directed to the men’s restroom where the subject was last seen. UPD shouted for anyone in the restroom to come out, and seconds later the subject emerged and was identified as the person who had been in the office area.

The subject was identified as X, Ford, a habitual burglar who had been arrested several times on CSUEB campus for committing burglaries. He had been issued a court issued to stay away order, to stay away from the campus. The UPD officer asked the staff member what was suspicious about the subject. The reply was “I don’t know, he just seemed suspicious.” CSUEB is an open accessible campus that invites all types of people.

If you encounter someone, something or witness a behavior you feel is suspicious, call UPD (510.885-3791). We operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, fifty two weeks a year. Suspicious is difficult to define, but you know it when you see it. See it, hear it, report it.