The University of Miami Police Department arrested Del’Neco Streeter Wednesday night in connection to the theft of a MacBook Pro from Pearson Residential College, which took place Tuesday.
According to a press release from the Coral Gables Police Department (CGPD), the laptop was stolen from an unidentified student’s dorm room in Pearson. Upon discovering the theft, the student was “able to place an electronic message on the screen of his laptop” saying that he was willing to pay $1,000 for its return.
The police report issued by the CGPD stated that the student received a phone call the following evening from Streeter, 21, who was willing to return the laptop for the money. The student met with Streeter later that night at 8:52 p.m. in front of the BankUnited Center. Streeter arrived in a vehicle and was accompanied by an unknown individual, said the CGPD press release.
Once Streeter handed the laptop to the student and asked for the money, UMPD officers emerged from the BUC and attempted to arrest Streeter. Streeter fled and was later found by officers in a stairwell on the sixth floor of Pavia Garage. He was arrested at 3:39 a.m. According to the CGPD press release, the driver of the vehicle also fled and the car was later found in another area of campus.
After being informed of his Miranda rights, the police report stated that Streeter said a friend stole the student’s laptop. Streeter has been charged with dealing in stolen property and resisting arrest. UMPD is still pursuing the driver of the vehicle. The incident is part of an ongoing investigation.
While UMPD officers were looking for Streeter Wednesday night, the Emergency Notification Network (ENN) sent out a message to students around 9 p.m. through phone calls, text messages and emails.
The email indicated that “a black male on campus wearing black and white tennis shoes, white shirt with black writing, black shorts …” was on the premises. The message also instructed students to “stay away from MRC, Pavia Garage and Canterbury House …”
ENN also made it apparent in the email’s subject line that the suspect was armed.
Freshman Andrea Berdusco, who lives in Stanford Residential College, was concerned about the vagueness of ENN’s messages.
“The most amusing part was the fact that the first ENN text message omitted the fact that the man had a weapon,” Berdusco said. “A lot of kids made a joke out of something kind of serious.”
Freshman Melissa Bassett, also a Stanford resident, expressed similar sentiments.
“I came and hid in my room, I was scared by the vagueness of everything,” she said.
Thursday morning, University of Miami Media Relations released the following statement:
“Last night, University of Miami Police responded to a laptop theft on campus,” the statement read. “Both subjects fled and one was later apprehended in the perimeter. In an attempt to quickly notify the campus that a suspect was at large, an active police perimeter was being set up and that people should find a secure location/avoid the area, an incomplete University ENN (Emergency Notification Network) alert was initially distributed. The University regrets the error. Police are still investigating.”
Senior Brittany Doyle was not on campus at the time of the incident, but was worried for her sorority sisters who were studying in the suite located in the Panhellenic Building.
“I was worried for my sisters who were in our sorority’s suite on campus since those doors do not automatically lock like the rest of the doors on campus,” she said. “Luckily they responded very quickly when they were instructed to barricade the doors, close the shutters and turn off the lights. I’m sure it was a scary experience for them but I’m glad that they were so prepared and everything turned out okay.”
This story will be updated as more information becomes available. The story was last updated on Thursday at 2 p.m.
Jordan Coyne contributed to this report.